John Mellencamp’s Startling New Protest Songs From His Upcoming LP, ‘Orpheus Descending’

May 31, 2023 ~ kcorsini ~ 2 Comments

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I was surprised recently to find out that John Mellencamp is putting out a new album on June 16th, Orpheus Descending. It was merely a year and a half ago that Mellencamp released Strictly One-Eyed Jacks, an album that had three collaborations with Bruce Springsteen, including the sensational “Wasted Days.” While I did describe Strictly One-Eyed Jacks as “curmudgeon rock,” I thought it was a good album and I still don’t know why “Wasted Days” wasn’t a huge song.

While I’m very pleased Mellencamp is putting out a new album, it’s very surprising. In the early days, aka the 70s and 80s, Mellencamp put out an album every two years which was pretty standard. Actually in the beginning of his career he put out an album almost every year which sounds like a recipe for burnout. As time went on record companies backed off the album-tour-album-rinse-repeat cycle they used to force artists into and the time between albums started to get longer – and that’s just in general – but certainly applies to Mellencamp. Some artists can take six, seven or even eight years between records these days. I recently reviewed albums from Metallica (72 Seaons) and Dave Matthews Band (Walk Around The Moon) that were seven and five years in the making respectively.

While Mellencamp hasn’t taken that leisurely of a pace, his albums tend to take longer than they used to and come out every three to five years. There have been a couple of times that, like this new record, he’s recorded in back to back years. The first time was Dance Naked, which came out only a year after Human Wheels because the record company pissed Mellencamp off by saying his music “no longer fit the format.” While Rough Harvest came out only a year after John Mellencamp, I’m not including it here as it was a “contract fulfillment” record of old acoustic recordings… The other time in Mellencamp’s career that he did LPs in back to back years was when he put out the oft overlooked gem Freedom’s Road and then the next year turned around with the stark Life, Death, Love, Freedom. Mellencamp has described that latter album as a collection of “electric-folk songs.” Clearly he had something to say.

If we discern anything from these two exceptions from Mellencamp’s past deviation of his recording schedule, it’s that he only quickly records an album when he’s pissed or when he has something to say. Based on these two stunning new songs that have dropped to tease Orpheus Descending, in this case, it’s a little of both – he’s pissed and has something to say about it. There has always been a political element in Mellencamp’s music – and his public commentary – but it’s typically been less overt. It’s more effective to sing a song like “Jackie Brown” to bemoan the plight of poor minorities than to just sing, “Black, poor people are suffering.” It humanizes things to do the former vs sounding like a political speech in the latter.

This is not a political blog, but you’d have to be living in a cave not know what troubled times we live in. There are so many issues that are within our grasp to fix but our government is paralyzed with inaction. The Extreme Right are more concerned with tax cuts for hedge fund billionaires than feeding the poor or fixing our gun problem. Our nation is more divided now than at any time since the late 60s. I have been sitting here wondering why more artists aren’t doing Protest Songs, like in the 60s. Where is our “Eve of Destruction,” “Revolution,” or “Fortunate Son”? I don’t hear young bands addressing the issues of today like bands did in the old days. At least Stevie Nicks re-did the Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” recently.

I guess with no new bands addressing this, it’s up to the older artists to raise their voice in protest. And make no mistake, these two new songs from Mellencamp are full on, overt, Protest Songs. I know Mellencamp is a very “plain spoken” guy but even I was startled at the naked frankness of these two songs. The first track, “Hey God” tackles the issue of gun violence in America. It feels torn from the headlines since, well, mass shootings keep happening over and over again. There 17 mass shooting events over Memorial Day weekend this year alone.

When you start a song with the lyric, “Weapons and guns, are they really my rights? Laws written a long time ago, No one could imagine the sight of so many dead on the floor…” it grabs your attention. The lyrics are a direct encapsulation of every normal Americans thinking on the issue. It’s not only a plea for change but literally a prayer to God for help. While the lyrics are great it’s the music that grabbed me on this superb song. It’s very Lonesome Jubilee-ish instrumentation with a mean slide guitar and violin solo. It reminds me of an even more serious, mellower “Paper In Fire.” This is a song that should be played at every gun protest from now on. I highly recommend this track. Here it is:

The second new track from what will likely prove to be a controversial album is “The Eyes Of Portland.” This song tackles the pressing issue of homelessness. In the past generation over a trillion dollars of wealth has been transferred from the bottom 80% to the top 1%. We’re heading for a new, terrible Gilded Age. So many of our fellow citizens are struggling to eat and find a place they can afford to live. This song doesn’t grab me as hard as “Hey God,” but it’s a good midtempo thing. It’s got the usual Mellencamp big chorus like “Our Country.” It’s an earnest track that once again, doesn’t mince words about the issue of homelessness. It speaks of mental illness, drug casualties and the need for help. It’s got a pretty stunning chorus, “All of these homeless, where do they come from? In this land of plenty where nothing gets done, To help those who are empty and unable to run, Your tears and prayers won’t help the homeless…” Here’s the second new Mellencamp song:

Like most new stuff from older bands, you’re probably not going to hear these wonderful songs on your local radio. But I recommend each of you seek these songs out. Again, this is not a political blog, but when rock n roll strays toward the political, we tend to comment on it. 70% of Americans support rational gun reform yet here are. We’ve got to push the bullshit aside and start coming back together in this country.

It’s a long, dark ride. Take care of each other out there… and blast these two new songs to get you through it.

Cheers!

Review: Dave Matthews Band New LP, ‘Walk Around The Moon’ – Do We, Should We Care?

May 24, 2023 ~ kcorsini ~ 2 Comments

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As I’ve mentioned in my last few posts (my playlist on ‘Flying,’ and the Pretenders new single), I stepped away from B&V for a small vacation and a bunch of new music came out. The Dave Matthews Band released their 10th album (Dave’s 11th if you include his solo LP Some Devil), entitled Walk Around The Moon. The album was preceded by the first single, “Madman’s Eyes,” our review of which can be found (here). It’s the DMB’s first new album in five years.

I’ve been a fan of the Dave Matthews Band for a long time, since their first album Under The Table And Dreaming. We were all DMB fans in the 90s – from your local soccer mom to my late friend Alf, who was strictly an old school Hip Hop guy. That universal love of the DMB made it hard to get tickets to their concerts… everybody and their mother wanted to go. I did get to take the Rock Chick to see them back then. Everyone I knew owned not only that debut but their second album, Crash. Crash was almost as highly anticipated as Pearl Jam’s Vs. I can remember Alf singing the first single from that LP, “Too Much,” at the top of his lungs in bars around that time… he would sing the lyric “Suck it up, suck it up” to great, if not vulgar, comic effect… but I’m getting off topic. Those early albums – all of the first three LPs (which includes Before These Crowded Streets) – were ubiquitous. The DMB had a jam band ethos, a weird line-up and a dark streak that was completely masked by the utter exuberance they played with.

When I say they had a weird line-up I just mean they weren’t the traditional two guitars, bass and drums. The original line-up was Dave (acoustic guitar/vocals), Carter Beauford (drums), Stefan Lessard (on the biggest bass guitar I’d ever seen), Boyd Tinsley (violin) and LeRoi Moore (saxophones). Things have been tough for the DMB. They tragically lost LeRoi in an ATV accident. They replaced him with two horn players, Jeff Coffin and Rashawn Ross. I’ve always thought that was the ultimate compliment to a player who is lost or leaves a band, being replaced by not one but two guys. Like when they booted Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac, they brought in Neil Finn (to replace him on vocals) AND Mike Campbell (to replace him on guitar). Around that time, longtime associate, guitarist Tim Reynolds officially joined the band. Ten years after Moore’s loss they had to dismiss Boyd Tinsley over some sexual harassment thing. Tough stuff. Eventually to replace Tinsley they brought in keyboard player Buddy Strong which does change their fundamental sound. The violin was all over that early music.

The DMB’s music has sort of struggled in a similar way over the years. They put out those three great first albums but then stumbled badly with the Glen Ballard produced Everyday. Even my buddy Alf got off the bandwagon on that one… he was heartbroken. I read one review that said the album sounded like it was produced by someone who had never heard the Dave Matthews Band. They came roaring back with Busted Stuff, an album I still adore. But then it was another stumble with Stand Up, perhaps my least favorite DMB album. It was like Matthews was confused as to where to take the band… next. I gave up on the band after Stand Up. As usual, I shouldn’t have done that.

It was after that they lost Moore and it seemed to bring them out of their creative confusion. They kicked out three really strong albums in a row: Big Whiskey And the GrooGrux King (a tribute of sorts to Moore), Away From The World, and finally Come Tomorrow. I went back and listened to Come Tomorrow while preparing this post, which I reviewed at the time it came out, and it’s really strong. If anything I should have been more effusive in my praise of that album. For the DMB to wait 5 years since that album – and let’s remember there was a six year gap between it and Away From The World – is a bit of a gamble. I mean, Metallica waits 6 or 7 years between albums, as they did prior to their sensational new album 72 Seasons, but they’re metal and metal fans are pretty loyal. I was excited to see the DMB had a new album out, but I kept my expectations in check. I know DMB is still a live juggernaut, but does anybody still care about their studio albums… two records in 11 years would suggest… maybe not? Their last platinum album was Big Whiskey.

I realize, like a lot of recent albums, Walk Around The Moon was written during the pandemic/lockdown. When I get into a band I’m typically all in for the whole catalog and I hate writing negative reviews – there’s enough negativity in the world – but this album is a disappointing bummer. And I like sad music – Hell, I’m a Neil Young fan. The album starts with the low key title track. It starts with strumming and Dave’s now weathered falsetto until the band kicks in. I will say Carter Beauford is a great, underrated drummer. I like this song but it’s more of an album track than anything I’ll return to. “Madman’s Eyes” I’ve reviewed before and I stand by that review – it’s one of the better tracks here. From there it’s back to low key ballad “Looking For A Vein.” Not a bad song but I was looking for something punchier to follow-up “Madman’s Eyes.” I mentioned that early DMB had a dark streak covered by their sheer exuberance and joy. These days it’s an exuberant streak covered by darkness. They come back with another ballad on “The Ocean And The Butterfly.” I’ll admit I like the horn work on that track.

“It Could Happen” is paint by numbers DMB. Then it’s another sad ballad with “Something To Tell My Baby.” Who knew the DMB as going to build their late career around the latter parts of Crash (and I mean “Lie In Our Graves” not “Tripping Billies”). “After Everything” brings a pulse back to the album. I hear the keyboards in this song more than most of the tunes here. There’s some electric guitar. Then the horns take over and it sounds for a moment like a marching band playing the half time show at the local high school. It’s an upbeat song but it just misses the mark for me. We come back down with the sad, coffee house strummer “All You Wanted Was Tomorrow.” Then back up for “Only You.” It’s got more electric guitar, a nice riff, if not an unexpected one. Again, I appreciate the noise but it just doesn’t grab me the way say, “Too Much” did. It does soar a bit in the middle. By “Break Free” and “Monsters,” I found my interest waning. “Monsters” does manage to be atmospheric. The album ends on another acoustic track, “Singing From the Windows.”

With albums only coming out every half a decade or so, one has to wonder how much Dave and the Band care about the studio stuff? I know they’re still a juggernaut on the road. The money is in the merch as they say. With their albums selling less and less each outing, one has to wonder – does anybody care about this band any more? They were so big in the 90s and at the turn of the millennium. I guess we can hope in another 5 or 6 years they recover from this misstep the same way they did after Stand Up. Sorry Dave, this is a hard pass for B&V.

Cheers!

New Song Alert: The Pretenders, “Let The Sun Come In” – Chrissie Hynde & Gang Return With My 2023 Summer Song!!

May 19, 2023May 19, 2023 ~ kcorsini ~ 3 Comments

“We don’t have to fade to black, let the sun come in” – The Pretenders, “Let The Sun Come In”

As I mentioned in my last post, my playlist with songs about Flying, I took a small break from B&V… call it a vacation. I spent most of that time away from music, although I did find myself drawn to a number of live albums which included The Who’s latest live disc recorded with an orchestra and the Pink Floyd live performance of Dark Side of the Moon from 50 years ago. Admittedly, I’ve been a little out of what’s currently happening. While I was out tilting at windmills, some new music has emerged. And none of it excites me as much as the new single from the Pretenders (Chrissie Hynde, vocals/guitar; Martin Chambers, as always, drums; James Walbourne, guitars; Nick Wilkinson, bass), “Let The Sun Come In.” It may be my summer jam this year. Any tune that has the lyrics, “We don’t have to get fat, we don’t have to get old” is going to resonate with me.

I’ll admit I’ve been a fan of the Pretenders since the very first album, The Pretenders, in 1979. I was in 9th grade and I can still remember this really pretty girl with wild, dirty blonde hair in study hall. They let us play rock n roll in study hall and the Pretenders’ track “Brass In Pocket” came on while this young lady strutted up to the refreshment window to get a Coke. It wasn’t love I was feeling but that young girl evoked something terribly visceral in me. She may be long gone without even knowing I existed, but she certainly made sure that the Pretenders’ song stuck with me.

Due to some band tragedy – original members John Honeyman Scott (lead guitar) and Pete Farndon (bass) both died after the second LP – the Pretenders career has been a bit up and down. They’ve always seemed to be out there making a righteous riotous sound. Every so often a track would hit my ear. After Learning to Crawl, their third LP, I became more of a “greatest hits” kind of fan, merely tracking the occasional single. But my interest in this band was completely reignited with the raucous 2020 LP Hate For Sale. If you haven’t checked that one out yet, do so post haste.

I was so enamored with Hate For Sale I picked up the Chrissie Hynde solo LP of Dylan covers, Standing In The Doorway. I reviewed that LP and actually had a reader comment that he thought it “sucked.” It was a complete departure from the usual rock sound of the Pretenders – which is typically the point of a solo album, get outside your comfort zone and do something different – and that’s why I liked it. But I understand, acoustic Dylan covers aren’t for everybody. I think Hynde is one of the most important women in rock n roll. Hynde recorded that Dylan covers album over Zoom during the pandemic with Pretenders lead guitarist James Walbourne. The upcoming LP, Relentless, was apparently written in the same manner. They were on a roll, so why stop?

This first single, “Let The Sun Come In” is, for me, the perfect summer song. The track starts with a great little guitar figure from Walbourne and Martin Chambers’ drums drive the track forward. Great little guitar solo with some unhinged harmonica as well! It’s all about not getting old and grumpy… “let the sun come in.” I love the lyrics, “To live forever, that’s the plan, the oldest living mortal man. It’s all upbeat with a great summer message, “Think big or think big things, It ain’t illegal, Open up and spread your wings, Fly like an eagle…” Let the sun come in, indeed. Cherish every day and keep pushing forward, baby. I can’t wait to crank this while I’m basting in the sun with a cold beer in my hand. Here’s the track:

I can’t wait for this new album. Chrissie and the boys just keep rocking and I’m here for it. If you’re out there and you’re adding up the years, don’t let the darkness cover you… don’t stand in your yard shaking your fist at a cloud. “We don’t have to fade to black…” Stand in your yard pumping your fist along to this song… maybe spill a little beer and jump around. It won’t kill you. I’m still relatively young and I plan on aging as gracelessly as I can…

Cheers!

Playlist: Our Favorite Songs About… Flying

May 16, 2023May 16, 2023 ~ kcorsini ~ 13 Comments

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“I like pleasure spiked with pain, and music is my aeroplane…” – Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Aeroplane”

I took a little time away from B&V to recharge the musical batteries. As it turns out I’ve also spent a little time in airports and airplanes recently as well… I am on record as admitting I chose the career of the itinerant sales guy. I have to admit, due to the pandemic, I hadn’t flown in quite a while. What a shitty experience flying is now. I’m old enough that I can remember when I was a real little kid, people used to dress up to fly. I remember the first time I flew, I was probably 3, my mom put me in a sporty red blazer and clip-on tie and shellacked my cowlick hair down with, well, mom spit. I don’t remember most of it, but I’ve seen the pictures. In those pics my grandparents, who only drove to the airport to pick us up, were also dressed to the nines. I can’t imagine seeing my Grandmother in yoga pants or my grandfather in a Budweiser t-shirt standing at the gate. We’re not even making the bare minimum effort folks. The last time I flew, I was sitting across from a guy who farted and pretended nothing happened. Thanks pal.

Ah, flying. It all seemed so glamorous when I was a kid. I remember it as being a lot easier. The Wright Brothers, who were the first to fly in 1903 probably never imagined having to take your shoes off to board the Wright Flyer outside of Kitty Hawk. I’ve spent my whole career hanging around airports waiting on a delayed flight or having made the mad dash to the airport and missed that elusive earlier flight. I can’t even begin to tally up all the time I’ve wasted sitting in the gate of some crowded, sweaty airport. I think the airlines only hire sadists these days. I had a flight cancelled recently and I’m certain the gate agent was a former prison camp commandant…There’s something inherently lonely about flying. I was always surrounded by people but had my head buried in my work laptop or a book and most always had my trusty headphones on to be transported out of that situation by rock n roll. What’s that old cliche about being “alone in a crowd?”

That’s the thing about flying somewhere. You are, by definition, leaving somewhere or some place. And flight allows us to travel great, great distances so you’re again, by definition, going a long, long way from home. While travel and traveling are exciting there is an underlying sorrow that always seemed to nag me. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy soaring above the clouds, looking down and trying to recognize landmarks, headed off to explore the world. I’ve been from San Francisco to New York to Barcelona and Rome. There is a freedom in being able to “fly away.” But that freedom also can breed isolation. Sometimes the person you’re flying away from deserves to be left behind. But, then again, now I do most of my fun travel with the Rock Chick and I find that immensely better than the old days.

I will admit, when anybody asked me – and strangely people seemed to ask me this a lot – what “Super Power” I would want if I could have one, I always said flying. Naturally most of my friends wanted to be invisible… something about sneaking into the girl’s shower and “observing?” I have always been surrounded by degenerates…thankfully. I always thought being able to fly – without a plane – was the Super Power to pick. I always said, “I want to fly like Superman,” as the Kinks famously sang. You could go anywhere and be there quickly. You didn’t have to check bags or sit in the middle seat. And who amongst us hasn’t admired the majestic flight of birds. I was standing by a pond once when a flock of ducks floated in and landed on the water in unison. I remember thinking, “Man, I wish I could do that…”

Of course, for me, the easiest way for me to get “airborne” is to slip those head phones on, much as Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers described above, and turn up the music. All of these thoughts about flying – whether in a plane or like superman or birds in flight – got me to thinking about all the great rock n roll songs about flying. I figured it all be “pedal to the metal,” hard driving rock songs. But like I was describing above, there seems to be an undercurrent of sorrow in some of these tracks. As with all of our playlists, we’re all over the board stylistically. It’s the theme that’s important. B&V playlists are best played on “shuffle.”

Without further adieu, here are our favorite songs about Flying. You can find our playlist on Spotify if you’re interested. As always, if there’s a favorite of yours we didn’t include, drop it in the comments. I like to think of B&V playlists as “our” playlists, not “my” playlist. I have left my thoughts on each track below…

Pink Floyd, “Learning To Fly” – I know Pink Floyd purists don’t like the David Gilmour-led version of the band. I love this song. The way he describes flying, it doesn’t sound like he’s piloting a plane… Not every record is Dark Side of The Moon.
The Byrds, “Eight Miles High” – Supposedly planes fly eight miles above the ground but I think the Byrds were likely thinking more about drugs here. Who can blame them, it was the 60s.
The Beatles, “Back In The USSR” – McCartney seems very happy about getting back to the USSR. From The Beatles (aka The White Album).
Eagles, “Earlybird” – From the Eagles debut LP. “He’s got no time for flying in the breeze…”
The Box Tops, “The Letter” – From a young Alex Chilton who went on to form Big Star and record the legendary LP, #1 Record. “Gimme a ticket on an aeroplane, ain’t got time to take a fast train…”
New York Dolls, “Jet Boy” – I just saw a great documentary about David Johansen, the lead singer of the Dolls. Great stuff!
Lou Reed, “Fly Into The Sun” – From one of my favorite Lou LPs, New Sensations. Perhaps his happiest LP? I also love New York, of course.
The Cult, “In The Clouds” – Great track only found on a greatest hits disc. If you’re in the clouds, I have to assume you’re flying.
Jimi Hendrix, “Night Flying Bird” – Great posthumous tune from Jimi.
The Black Keys, “Aeroplane Blues” – The Black Keys are so consistently kick ass. I loved their last LP, Dropout Boogie…
Billy Joel, “Scandinavian Skies” – Billy Joel singing about a tour of Scandinavia where they flew from country to country? I had heard somewhere along the line that this song was about heroin?
Slash (featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators), “Bent To Fly” – My friend Stormin’ turned me onto Slash’s solo work with Myles. A soaring power ballad from World On Fire.
Frank Sinatra, “Come Fly With Me” – I had to include a couple of tracks from the Chairman of the Board.
Johnny Cash, “I’ll Fly Away” – Johnny singing from his mama’s hymn book. I’m at best a pagan and I whispered a little prayer the first time I heard this one.
Elton John, “High Flying Bird” – Beautiful sad track from one of my favorite Elton albums, Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only The Piano Player.
David Bowie, “Space Oddity” – You can’t fly much higher than outerspace.
Chuck Berry, “Promised Land” – I wish I could time travel just so I could take this trip with Chuck. I should have found a cover of this track for my Chuck Berry Covers playlist…
Howlin’ Wolf, “Mr. Airplane Man” – Howlin’ Wolf singing the blues, asking Mr. Airplane Man to help him find his baby who has taken off… Another mule is kickin’ in his stall.
Sammy Hagar, “Eagles Fly” – Sammy giving us a somewhat patriotic vibe here.
Peter, Paul and Mary, “Leaving On A Jet Plane” – This song, and this version of it, probably surprises some long time readers. My parents loved Peter, Paul and Mary. I grew up hearing this song. Not that my parents played much music.
Frank Sinatra, “Fly Me To The Moon” – My favorite of the two Sinatra songs here.
Marvin Gaye, “Flyin’ High (In The Friendly Sky)” – A track from Marvin’s landmark album from 1971, What’s Going On?
Foo Fighters, “Learn To Fly” – I’m not a huge Fighter of Foo fan but I dig this one. Perfect for this playlist.
Ozzy Osbourne, “Flying High Again” – From Ozzy’s second LP with Randy Rhoads on lead guitar… this song turned me into an Ozzy fan for life.
Talking Heads, “And She Was” – I had originally heard that this song was about a woman who died and the “she” who is floating in the air was her soul. Turns out it’s a story of a chick who took acid and had an out of body, Sharky’s Machine experience.
Steve Miller Band, “Fly Like An Eagle” – A 70s classic.
Elton John, “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be a Long, Long Time)” – The first time I heard this track, from Honky Chateau, I was in the Smithsonian… Weird story.
Buffalo Springfield, “Expecting To Fly” – Great Neil Young, trippy track from the Springfield.
Paul McCartney, “Feet In The Clouds” – Again, maybe not exactly a flying song, but he’s in the clouds… how’d he get there?
Creedence Clearwater Revival, “Travelin’ Band” – First line says it all, “Seven thirty seven comin’ out of the sky, Won’t you take me down to Memphis on a midnight ride…” I just included this in my playlist about the Music/Show Biz.
Faces, “Flying” – I think this was the Faces first single? We do love the Faces here at B&V.
REO Speedwagon, “Time For Me To Fly” – Another track about being time to go. So many times I stayed too long at the “party.”
Iron Maiden, “Flight Of Icarus” – Only a metal band would take a story from Greek Mythology and turn it into a great rock n roll song.
Mudcrutch, “Dreams of Flying” – I loved Mudcrutch. It was the perfect side project for Petty, Mike Campbell and Ben Tench. This is from the second album, creatively titled 2.
Buffalo Springfield, “Flying On The Ground Is Wrong” – Great, great song written by Neil Young and sung by Richie Furay. I’d like to hear a version of this song sung by Neil… I’m sure it’s out there.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Little Wing” – One of my all time Hendrix favorites. “Fly on, little wing…”
John Mellencamp, “My Aeroplane” – Great deep track from Mellencmap.
Red Hot Chili Peppers, “My Zephyr” – “Fly away on my zephyr…” Does anybody know what Anthony is talking about?
Paul McCartney & Wings, “Jet” – One of my favorite rockers from McCartney.
David Bowie, “I Took A Trip On A Gemini Spaceship” – Bowie was always singing about space.
Linda Ronstadt, “Birds” – Neil Young isn’t on Spotify, but Linda Ronstadt does a fine cover here. I loved her third album.
David Crosby, “Sky Trails” – Brilliant title track from a brilliant album. Sung beautifully by David and Becca Stevens. So sad to have lost Croz this year.
Stephen Stills, “Jet Set (Sigh)” – I loved Manassas.
Queen, “Spread Your Wings” – “Spread your wings and fly away…” From my first Queen LP purchase, News Of The World.
INXS, “Johnson’s Aeroplane” – Obscure early INXS but I dig it.
R.E.M., “Alligator Aviator Autopilot Anitmatter” – R.E.M.’s last few lps were awesome. This fun track is from Collapse Into Now.
Elton John, “Take Me To The Pilot” – I think if you asked to be taken to the pilot these days, the plane would land and an international incident would ensue. A great, great Elton track.
David Bowie, “Like A Rocket Man” – Late period, fabulous Bowie. Bowie and Elton seem obsessed with flying. “I’m speeding like a rocket man…”
Bad Company, “Movin’ On” – Sometimes you just gotta pack up, head to the boarding gate, and get outta there. I had to do this in Jamaica once. Luckily the embassy didn’t get involved.
Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Aeroplane” – The true theme song of this playlist. Let the music help you soar, baby.
Led Zeppelin, “Night Flight” – One of my all time favorite deep tracks from the mighty Zeppelin.
Joni Mitchell, “Amelia” – Joni, like Neil is boycotting Spotify – rightly so – so I sub’d in David Crosby’s cover. But I had to list her name here as her version is definitive.
Bad Company, “Seagull” – “Now you fly, through the sky, never asking why, And you fly all around ’til somebody, Shoots you down.” Heavy stuff.
Elton John, “Daniel” – A lamentation about seeing his brother return to Spain on an airplane.
Steve Miller Band, “Jet Airliner” – Another great 70s classic from Steve Miller Band. I’ve always loved this song.
Lenny Kravitz, “Fly Away” – From Lenny’s great LP, 5.
The Kinks, “(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman” – I think I included this track on my list of rock bands with a disco song? I was more of a Batman guy, but I did used to wish I could fly like Superman.
Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Police Helicopter” – This is the only song I’ve ever known about helicopters so I included it. Not many people like early RHCP’s, but I do.
Pearl Jam, “Given To Fly” – I consider this one of their greatest tracks.
The Beatles, “Flying” – A spacey instrumental that I felt had to be included. There are some wordless vocals toward the end, but I consider it an instrumental.
The Rolling Stones, “Flight 505” – You know how I love the Stones and it took me this long to include one of their songs? “Well yes I’ll have a drink.” A sorry tale about a man who decides to leave home and seek adventures, but the plane lands… in the sea.
Crosby, Stills, Nash, “Just A Song Before I Go” – Sad track where the singer just wants to hear a song with his woman before he takes off for the “friendly skies.”
The Beatles, “Blackbird” – “Take these broken wings and learn to fly, all your life you were only waiting for this moment to be free…”
Mudcrutch, “Bootleg Flyer” – Mudcrutch having fun imagining flying a plane full of smuggled hooch really low, just above the trees.
ZZ Top, “Flyin’ High” – Soaring arena rock from ZZ Top. Always a winner…
Rush, “Fly By Night” – Another of my absolute favorite tracks… Can’t believe it took me this long to get it on the list.
Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Free Bird” – If you have to have a good ending song, this is it. “Won’t you fly high free bird?” My wife hates this song.

There you go friends. A little playlist to help you as you soar above the clouds whether you’re in an airplane or in your backyard on the patio. Again, if you have a favorite I might have missed, drop it in the comments and I’ll add it on Spotify.

Cheers! And lets remember – Birds of prey know they’re cool (according to the Far Side anyway).

New Release From the Vaults: Stephen Stills, ‘Live At Berkeley 1971’ – Peak Live Stills From His Heyday

May 3, 2023May 3, 2023 ~ kcorsini ~ 4 Comments

Let me start by wishing everyone out there a belated Happy May Day! If you celebrated in the spirit of the United States’ similar holiday, Labor Day, I salute all of you International Workers out there. If you’re into that whole select a May Queen like Robert Plant, and dance around the Maypole, remember all Pagans are welcome here at B&V. It would appear that Spring has indeed finally sprung. It appears this year that not only Spring is in the air but live music. On the heels of the great new live disc from the Who, The Who With Orchestra – Live At Wembley, and Pink Floyd’s archival live release in celebration of Dark Side of The Moon turning 50, Stephen Stills has dug into his vault and put out a recording made during the early days of his solo career, Live At Berkeley 1971. At the very least you’d think this was an important historical document. 1971 was a critical time in Stills’ solo career.

I’ve always dug Stephen Stills but it seems he’s always been slightly overshadowed by his friend and erstwhile bandmate Neil Young. Stills has written some great songs and the guy can play anything. He’s been in some landmark bands: The Buffalo Springfield (with Neil Young and Richie Furay), he was a part of the Al Kooper/Michael Bloomfield’s landmark album Super Sessions (Stills played with Kooper on side 2 after Bloomfield split), and was a founding member of Crosby, Stills, Nash (and sometimes Young). The man was a pioneer in the realm of country rock. The critics have always despised Stills and I’m not sure why? Robert Christgau, the famous critic, wrote of Stephen, “Stills is of course detestable, the ultimate rich hippie–arrogant, self-pitying, sexist, shallow.” Jeez dude, why not go ahead and call his mom ugly? It has always seemed to me that Stills has had a bit of a chip on his shoulder. Maybe all that critical bile has made him defensive. He was famously kicked out of Keith Richards’ hotel room when he refused to share his coke. While the man has been inconsistent in his career, so has Neil Young? I’ll admit he can come across condescending and preachy sometimes, but hey man, it was the 70s.

Stills tour in 1971 was in support of his second solo album creatively named Stephen Stills 2. At least he didn’t use Roman numerals… It was his first solo tour and was confined to the U.S. He actually played at venerable Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City on the tour in July of ’71. And no, I wasn’t there. I was barely in grade school. Social services would have seized me if my parents took me to the show. By 1971 I think it’s safe to guess Stills was thinking, what a difference a year makes. In 1970, after the triumph of Deja Vu, Crosby, Stills Nash & Young finally imploded amongst band bickering and infighting. He lost his girl, Rita Coolidge, to Graham Nash which accelerated the band split. I heard he didn’t handle that well and had accidentally OD’d on pills and later got busted for possession but I’m not sure about either of those things. Further, 1970 saw each member of CSNY put out a solo LP: If I Could Only Remember My Name (Crosby), Stephen Stills, After The Gold Rush (Neil Young), and finally Songs For Beginners (Graham Nash) which were each a hit and probably further spelled the end of CSNY. I’ve chronicled our favorite solo/duo LPs from CSN before and all of those LPs made the cut. Stills’ eponymous solo debut reached number 2 on the album charts (Behind George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass) and boasted the big hit “Love The One You’re With.” That song was huge – Aretha Franklin, The Supremes and the Isley Brothers all did versions of that song. It may be derided for slightly sexist sentiment but it’s interesting how many woman have recorded that song… Stills’ debut is the only album to boast appearances from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.

Then came 1971 and Stills recorded his second solo album, the aforementioned Stephen Stills 2. It got mixed reviews. It still peaked at number 8 on the charts. But the two singles, “Change Partners,” clearly about Rita Coolidge, and “Marianne” both peaked in the low 40s. Critics were lukewarm, at best, about the album but I think it’s got some great songs. When Stills launched his first solo tour in support of 2 – he’d been promising a big show when he finally toured solo – he brought along the Memphis Horns (Wayne Jackson, Roger Hopps, Jack Hale, Andrew Love, Sidney George, Floyd Newman). Stills had become enamored with bands like Chicago (Hendrix liked original guitarist Terry Kath) and Blood Sweat And Tears who utilized a big horn sound. Blood Sweat And Tears was founded by Al Kooper, his album mate from the Kooper/Bloomfield/Stills Super Session. Maybe that influenced him. I’m not a huge fan of a big horn section but I’ll admit sometimes it just works. Springsteen’s latest tour in 2023 boasted a big horn section and I loved the show I saw in February. The tour was dubbed “The Memphis Horns Tour” and alternately the “Drunken Horns Tour” as Stills was drinking heavily due to the Rita Coolidge thing. He was not in a good place. I’ve been there… haven’t we all?

For the 1971 tour, from which Live At Berkeley 1971 is the first released music, Stills brought along Steven Fromholtz (guitar), Paul Harris (keyboards), CSNY’s rhythm section Calvin “Fuzzy” Samuels (bass) and Dallas Taylor (drums), and percussionist Joe Lala. The first half of the album, like the tour it came from, is an acoustic set from Stills. The band joins later. These 50+ year old recordings sound fantastic. The live LP opens with “Love The One You’re With,” with just Stills on vocals/acoustic guitar with percussionist Joe Lala joining in to bring that Latin soul flavor. It’s a great start. From there it’s another track from his solo debut, “Do For The Others” written for David Crosby’s late girlfriend who had died in a car wreck. The third track was at the time unreleased, “Jesus Gave Love Away For Free” which ended up on the first Manassas record. Steven Fromholz joins Stills on guitar and vocals on that one… Stills met former Byrd Chris Hillman on the tour and they formed Manassas… but I digress. Stills had written enough material for a double LP but Ahmet Ertegun talked him into a single disc. A lot of what was leftover ended up on the critically lauded first Manassas album.

At that point, to surprise the crowd, David Crosby joins Stills on stage. Stills and Crosby were closer friends than people realize. The two songs they performed together carry a bit more poignancy for me as Croz sadly just passed away this year. They do a great versions of “You Don’t Have To Cry” and Crosby’s “The Lee Shore.” Stills has said Crosby was the first of his ex bandmates to show up for one of his solo shows. Stills does quite a few CSN songs but only touches on his Buffalo Springfield career which is baffling to me. He finally then launches into two tracks from Stills 2, the great track “Word Game” inspired by Dylan’s “It’s Alright Ma” and the bluesy “Sugar Babe” where Stills switches to the piano. I really like both of these performances, perhaps better than their studio versions.

From there Stills, still at the piano, does a mash up of CSN’s “49 Bye Byes” with the Buffalo Springfield classic “For What It’s Worth” (the greatest protest song, ever). It’s very similar to the version of the song on CSNY’s live album, Four Way Street. I don’t know why Stills always played these songs together on piano versus doing a straight version of “For What It’s Worth” on it’s own. It’s one of his best tunes and he just kind of tosses it off. Stevie Nicks recently did a very nice version of “For What It’s Worth.” From there he plays the wicked acoustic blues tune “Black Queen” from his debut. I do so love rockers playing blues. “You Know You’ve Got To Run” which was written for Deja Vu, is the final of track of the acoustic part of the show. I have to tell you, I love the entire acoustic set.

The Memphis Horns come out for a rousing version of “Bluebird Revisited.” It’s a continuation of a tune written and performed for the Springfield, “Bluebird.” I have to admit it’s baffling to me that Stills would play the “Revisited” version instead of just “Bluebird” which is another of his greatest tracks. He left “Change Partners” and “Marianne” off this set of songs which I find equally confusing. I’m sure he had to have played those songs on the tour, why not include them? All of that said, I don’t find the horns cheesy. The Memphis Horns are pros. They’re equally jazzy on the cover song “Lean On Me,” which is not the Bill Withers song. I will say Stills sounds particularly unhinged in his singing on this track. And the horns get all kinds of playing time. To me the best use of the horns is on “Cherokee” another highlight from Stills’ debut album. After the band intro’s, the band launches into Stills’ “Ecology Song.” I think his heart was in the right place, but this song was reviled by critics and fans alike at the time. It’s just so over the top which I guess makes it a good concert ender.

I really like this concert document. As you can tell from my earlier comments I am a little confused by Stills’ choice of songs to include here. I would have liked to hear even more of his electric guitar playing – the guy is exceptional on electric – but it’s like he doesn’t want to be seen as a guitar hero. However, from what I’ve read about Stills’ first solo tour this live album captures the spirit and intent of that tour pretty well. I think it’s a great live album, certainly better than Stephen Stills Live from 1974’s tour (which I like) but like the man himself it’s very flawed. For a man reeling from the loss of his band, the loss of his girl, it’s a pretty kick ass live document. And let’s remember, Stills may not get the respect of some of his peers, but he is an excellent and important rock n roll artist.

Enjoy this one loud! Get back to that early 70s ethos of loving the one you’re with and cherishing the ecology… maybe hang out with Rita Coolidge… Cheers!

LP Review: Metal Masters Metallica, ’72 Seasons’ – A Heavy, Breakneck Metal Triumph!

April 29, 2023 ~ kcorsini ~ 2 Comments

“Misery, she needs me… but I need her more…” – Metallica, “Inamorata”

Metal giants Metallica have returned with a new album, 72 Seasons, their first album in seven years! I guess we should be relieved it’s only been seven years since Hardwired… to Self Destruct and not the eight years they took between Death Magnetic and Hardwired. Maybe lockdown cut a year out of their process. They may only drop new albums every 7 to 8 years but when they do they’re looong albums. 72 Seasons’ 12 songs clock in at an hour and seventeen minutes.

As I’ve documented in these pages, I was a late adopter on Metallica. I actually saw them live a couple of times before I ever owned any of their music. I saw them open for Ozzy on the Master of Puppets tour and when they headlined Lollapalooza. I had actually only gone to see Soundgarden that night, but Metallica impressed me. After that I dabbled in their music. It wasn’t until Death Magnetic that something clicked in my head and I realized how great Metallica is. I had always considered myself a fan of heavy metal – I liked Sabbath, Ozzy and Judas Priest. In the 80s I dug all that Hair Metal that was going on. But until I discovered Metallica, I don’t think I knew what truly heavy music was. Since I was late to the party with these guys I don’t carry the baggage that their early fans do so I really appreciate their latter albums a lot more. I don’t think there’s another fan base – except maybe U2’s fan base – that express such disappointment when they drop a new album. At least U2’s fans are justified. I’m simply not one of those Metallica fans who are pissed that every LP they put out doesn’t sound like Master of Puppets. I loved Hardwired… to Self Destruct. And I’m equally as happy with 72 Seasons.

The title derives around the 4 seasons a year that each human goes through until they turn 18, the age of adulthood. It’s Metallica’s theory that we all become the person we are over the course of those 72 seasons. All of our traumas and tribulations that take place during those formative years leave their mark and thus help form who we are. I have to admit, looking back on my first 72 seasons, it’s hard to argue with them. I did something rather old school while I listened to 72 Seasons over the last few weeks… when I wasn’t also cranking the new Who live album. I sat down and read the lyrics. I’m not sure I’ve ever done that with a Metallica album. It always used to sound like James Hetfield (rhythm guitar/lead vocals/principle lyricist) was just shouting random words that sort of fit together. I have to say, lyrically, this is Hetfield at his most honest and vulnerable. 72 Seasons is a trip inside his mind where we get to see his struggles and battles with the demons that besiege him. I don’t know about you, but I can certainly relate to that. And listening to this album I realized I should have included Hetfield on my list of favorite rhythm guitarists… oh, well. Hetfield’s vocals on this album are perfectly anguished.

While at first listen this album may seem slightly monochromatic, I think that’s an unfair charge. It’s true there are no “Unforgiven” type ballads or acoustic moments and very few melodic guitar moments but there are modulations in the tone of these tracks. It is a breakneck, hard album. It can feel at times like the whole album is a “meet me at the finish line” stomper. Lars Ulrich is a powerful drummer. The guy pounds the drums like he’s mad at them. If I ever have a heart attack, use Lars’ drums as my defibrillator. I’m really happy that Kirk Hammett has a lot more featured guitar solo’s than the last album. And bassist Rob Trujillo is there to keep all of this tethered to the ground when it almost always seemed like the music is going to come unhinged.

The album kicks off with the title track which begins with shimmering drums and a snarling guitar before the whole band engages and then we’re off to the races. I love the lyric “No chance before life began.” It sort of sums up the theme of the album. “Shadows Follow” has some of my favorite lyrics and features a great Hammett guitar solo. “Screaming Suicide” is a track about society’s inability to allow individuals to even discuss suicide. “Listen well, better listen well…” Only if we can talk about our mental health issues can we get help and address them. “Sleepwalk My Life Away” is another heavy, heavy riff. “You Must Burn!” is another absolute favorite of mine. It’s the first real change of pace tune, away from the breakneck speed of the first 1/3 of the album. They slow the pace down and make the riff heavier. It’s almost got an undercurrent of funk in the drummer. “You are the witch you must burn…” Indeed. “Lux AEterna,” was the first single, previously reviewed so I wont’ go into detail here. I’ll just say I really like “Lux AEterna,” but as the shortest track here, it may be my least favorite. That’s how much I like the rest of the album.

“Crown of Barbed Wire” has an absolutely wicked guitar solo. When Metallica bears down on you like this track, I can only say, “Woo!” The next track “Chasing Light” features marching drums, squalling guitar from Hammett and when Hetfield’s rhythm kicks in, fasten your seat belt. “Without darkness, there is no light…” At 6 minutes, 45 seconds, just grab that riff and ride it. “If Darkness Had A Son” is in contention for my favorite song. It’s martial drums and a great riff. It’s the story of the recovered addict without being preachy. “Temptation…” I can absolutely relate. I can say the Rock Chick loves this one and it is a quintessential Metallica tune. “Too Far Gone” is the first time on the album I hear that patented Metallica melodic guitar groove when Hetfield and Hammett play the same riff together. I love the chorus on this song.

Metallica finish up the album with the two best tracks. “Room Full of Mirrors” may be Hetfield’s greatest lyrics. I love when he sings, “In a mirrored room Just a simple man, Naked, broken, beat, and scarred, What do I really know? That fear of letting go.” Jeez, the honesty is so intense. His fury comes through. The final track on the album, which is over 11 minutes long, is “Inamorata” which is an absolute masterpiece. It’s the kind of epic song that Metallica made their reputation on. I can listen to this song all day long. Which, at the aforementioned 11 minute play time, it just might take all day. I’ve quoted it once, but when Hetfield sings “Misery she loves me, Oh, but I love her more,” my 20s just come flooding back to me. “Inamorata” is going to go down as one of Metallica’s greatest songs.

I’ll admit, with it’s long run time, over an hour and a quarter, this may be best consumed in parts. Listen to a few tracks here, a few tracks there. It is a full on frontal, aural assault. But this is some fine, fine heavy metal. Since they only put out an album every 7 or 8 years, every new Metallica album should be celebrated. This is the kind of late career masterpiece that B&V was founded to herald. Every hard rock fan should be cranking this album as loud as the neighbors and the local constabulary will allow.

Devil Horns to all of you! Cheers!

B&V Playlist: For The Love Of… Money

April 17, 2023April 17, 2023 ~ kcorsini ~ 12 Comments

Money_Cash

“When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life. Now that I am old, I know that it is.” – Oscar Wilde

Before I met my wife I was always fond of saying, “Money and sane women have eluded me my whole life.” But since the Rock Chick never laughed at that line, I stopped saying it. It got a little awkward. And let’s be honest I wasn’t the most solid citizen in the old days – I’m happy to own my part in the craziness…bygones. Anyway, having been happily wed for a long time, I guess I would now amend my original statement to “money has eluded me my whole life.” I mean, I’ve been lucky professionally, but big money has always seemed just out of my grasp. I guess it’s like Springsteen once sang, “Poor man wants to be rich, rich man wants to be king, and the king ain’t satisfied until he rules everything.” The more you get the more you seem to want. The reach always seems to exceed the grasp.

I read recently that to be in the top “1%” you would need to earn on average, $823k a year. That’s some big bucks. To be in the top 5% in terms of earnings, you’d need to average $283k a year, again big bucks. I know income distribution currently is as out of wack as it was during the “Gilded Age” in the late 1800s. Back in the Gilded Age, like five families controlled 80 percent of the wealth and the rest of us, based on pictures I’ve seen, all lived in the same tenement house battling over what was left. I realize there was real wage growth in those days but there was a lot of terrible poverty especially for immigrants and minorities. It was overall a pretty awful time. It would appear that certain elements in this country are trying to push us back to those days. What they forget, as they siphon off more money for the super rich, is that without a stable middle class, democracy almost always fails. As someone said to me recently, “It used to be you could work in a factory your whole life and if you didn’t join a country club, you’d have a nice retirement.” Do we even have factories any more?

It’s no coincidence that I’ve got money currently on my mind and today is Tax Day in the U.S. It’s typically April 15th, but since that fell on a weekend, U.S. taxpayers were given until today to pay their federal and state taxes. I’ve posted about Tax Day Blues and even included a playlist but today I’m thinking more about money in general. There’s a high likelihood as a member of the middle class I’m paying more tax than Elon Musk which seems a little backward to me. I guess I’m like that song by the Stereophonics, “Every Day I Think About Money.” When I was young, I didn’t have any money so I worried about it a lot. Then I had some money and I constantly thought about how to get more money. And that’s sort of been the mindset I’ve been stuck in since I was 30.

There was a time when I was happy just to have enough money for beer and vinyl albums. Maybe some extra cash to take a date to the movies. I’d work summer jobs – mowing lawns or building tennis courts which afforded me a fabulous tan – which was the goal in the summer – or I’d work as a bus boy or a dishwasher which afforded me a legendary case of acne. As a friend once said to me, “It’s summer, you drink beer with your friends.” I’ve already chronicled my old days as a working stiff when I posted a playlist in honor of Labor Day last year so I won’t beat that drum again. In many ways I was a much happier guy in those days. Of course I was living at my parents house. My friend Arkansas Joel always said he was happier when he was flipping burgers in high school. As life went on, there were bills, mortgages or rents to be paid and car payments to be made. Responsibility costs money. No wonder there are so many t-shirts that say “Not Adulting Today” out there.

While Oscar Wilde is right, money is important, I hated starting with such a cynical quote. I did find it funny. I wonder if we’re measuring success incorrectly in the world. We’re all so focused on money and materialism we don’t think about the other ways to measure success. Money really isn’t everything – although it certainly seems like it in today’s society. I’ve never been one of those “he who dies with the most toys wins” kind of guys. Having a great, strongly bonded family or great relationships with friends and colleagues is just as big a sign of success as a McMansion. Doing good in your community or doing good unto others has to be a measure? When I was in college I considered becoming a history professor. I was passionate about researching and writing and let’s face it I look good in a tweed sport coat with those leather elbows. But I talked to one of the history professors and he said, “There are probably more history majors driving cabs than teaching history.” I didn’t want to starve so I joined the large rank of traveling sales people. It worked out okay but I can’t describe it as a passion. The best parts of the job were the relationships I formed with the people I worked with and the mentoring I’ve done over the years in management. When I think about it through that prism – the relationships and impact I had on people’s lives – I actually think I might be more successful than I allow myself to think I am.

As I sat around thinking about money and my decision all those years ago to be a “happy idiot and struggle for the legal tender,” I started to think about all the great rock n roll songs about money – dough, cashish, coin, cabbage and my favorite scratch – and suddenly to snap out of it I started to build this playlist. As always tempo-wise it’s all over the place. We aim to put a song you haven’t heard in a while back in your ear or better yet, turn you on to something you haven’t heard. I usually recommend hitting “random” when you play these tracks. It works in order, but hey, variety is the spice of life… and apparently money is the honey. Here’s the playlist and you can find my comments on each tune below. And no, I didn’t include any versions of “Shake Your Money Maker,” because let’s face it… that song ain’t about money.

Warren Zevon, “Lawyers, Guns and Money” – Always a go-to tune for me when there was trouble… or when “the shit has hit the fan.” Zevon needs to be in the Rock Hall this year…
Prince, “Money Don’t Grow On Trees” – Prince had so many great tunes. This was in the vaults for a long time. Originally recorded for 1999. And apparently he stole the title from a phrase my father was fond of repeating when I was growing up.
AC/DC, “Ain’t No Fun (Waiting Around To Be A Millionaire)” – I’m stunned by how many songs AC/DC have about money. They truly have their “mind on my money and my money on my mind.” This song makes me smile.
Ozzy Osbourne, “The Almighty Dollar” – Ozzy from the sadly overlooked gem Black Rain.
Motley Crue, “Keep Your Eye On The Money” – Good advice from the Crue.
Montrose, “Paper Money” – Montrose, Sammy Hagar’s first band, long before Van Hagar and Chickenfoot. With Ronnie Montrose on guitar.
The Black Keys, “For The Love Of Money” – I like this song so much I stole the title for this post… from last year’s Dropout Boogie.
Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Millionaires Against Hunger” – I wish there were more millionaires against hunger… or better yet a lot less hunger. I think this started as a charity single… Hillel Slovak on the lead guitar.
Dire Straits, “Money For Nothing” – Iconic track from 1985. I can remember being in the car when I heard this for the first time and Sting came over the speakers and sang, “I want my MTV…” Mind blown. The next thing I knew I was going 80… but that might just be how I drove back then.
Tom Waits, “’til The Money Runs Out” – Things are always bad when the money runs out, as Mr. Waits reminds us here.
Randy Newman, “It’s Money That Matters” – Sadly, if you deign to look at any social media these days this adage seems to be true.
The Firm, “Money Can’t Buy” – I’ve always felt that the Firm were slightly under-achievers considering the pedigree of Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company) and Jimmy Page (the Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin) but that didn’t keep me from buying both their LPs.
The Black Keys, “Money Maker” – The Keys are just so solid. Do they have a bad tune?
Queen, “The Millionaire Waltz” – Only Freddie Mercury could get away with a song like this. Brian May’s guitar work is, as always, spectacular.
AC/DC, “What You Do For Money Honey” – The most hateful track on here. Used to remind me of someone in the 90s but those thoughts have long disappeared into the ether.
Alice Cooper, “Billion Dollar Babies” – I’d put Alice Cooper in their prime up against any band from the 70s.
Van Morrison, “Blue Money” – I doubt when Van wrote this song that “blue money” was slang for $100 bills.
Robert Plant, “All The Money In The World” – Plant’s late work is all fantastic and should be played at maximum volume whether it’s with Alison Krauss or just by himself.
The Who, “Put The Money Down” – Great deep cut from Odds And Sods.
Bruce Springsteen, “Easy Money” – I know Billy Joel has a song with the same title from An Innocent Man, but I despise that album.
The Beatles, “Money (That’s What I Want)” – So many versions of this song out there, I had to go with the Beatles.
Crosby & Nash, “Take The Money And Run” – Love these guys as a duo and a lot of their solo work.
Bruce Springsteen, “The Price You Pay” – Often the price we pay isn’t in dollars.
Bob Dylan & The Band, “Million Dollar Bash” – Dylan with his best backing group, The Band… recorded in the basement of the iconic house known as Big Pink.
Bob Seger, “Ain’t Got No Money” – “but I sure gotta whole lotta love.” That pretty much describes me from ages 16 to 35.
Aretha Franklin, “Money Won’t Change You” – The Queen spreading truth. They say money won’t change a man but it only amplifies what was there before. Food for thought.
The Who, “Did You Steal My Money?” – From one of those albums that perhaps only I love.
Don Henley, “If Dirt Were Dollars” – Great Henley deeper album cut.
AC/DC, “Moneytalks” – “Money talks and bullshit walks…” I wonder if they were inspired by Spinal Tap.
AC/DC, “Money Made” – AC/DC have so many tracks on this playlist, I just gave up and put 2 in a row. There is nothing more satisfying than getting that paycheck when you’ve earned it through some good ol’ fashion labor.
Annie Lennox, “Money Can’t Buy It” – One of music’s greatest voices.
Peter Frampton, “(I’ll Give You) Money” – Frampton’s heaviest riff? Great guitar work here.
Beady Eye, “Millionaire” – One of the Rock Chick’s favs.
AC/DC, “Down Payment Blues” – Bon Scott giving us a little darkness on one of my favorite AC/DC LPs, Powerage.
B.B. King, “Paying The Cost To Be The Boss” – I love the original but I almost went with B.B.’s version on Deuces Wild performed with the Stones. Mick and B.B. singing, with Keef and Ronnie Wood riffing… yummy. I do so love the blues.
Scorpions, “Money And Fame” – What everybody wants but few work for…
Bulletboys, “For The Love Of Money” – The Rock Chick turned me onto this 80s rocker.
Black Crowes, “Downtown Money Waster” – Every thing about this tune is cool. And since I lived downtown most of my life, I can identify with the title character.
The Beatles, “You Never Give Me Your Money” – From the second side medley on Abbey Road.
Ray Charles, “Greenbacks” – Ray Charles singing about money is actually money!
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, “30 Dollar Fine” – From the expanded/deluxe 50th anniversary edition of Deja Vu. Some times the Man makes you pay the fine.
U2, “Silver And Gold (Live)” – This song is about so much more than money… I took any excuse I could to slip it onto a playlist.
Dave Matthews Band, “Pay For What You Get” – DMB with some early career truth. If the price is too good to be true, turn and walk away.
Van Halen, “Big Fat Money” – I’ve never had big or fat money but it sounds like fun.
Spoon, “Rent I Pay” – The bill is always due, the wolf is always at the door.
Randy Newman, “It’s Money That I Love” – This is true for quite a few people I know… sadly.
Steve Miller Band, “Take The Money And Run” – Two thieves out on the road, running from the law. Ah, the 70s.
Pink Floyd, “Money” – This iconic track is likely their most famous song. I’ve been listening to this a lot in the last few weeks as the band celebrates the 50th anniversary of Dark Side Of The Moon.
Rickie Lee Jones, “Easy Money” – Also covered by Lowell George of Little Feat on his sole solo album.
Rush, “The Big Money” – I knew a woman whose nickname was Big Money…
Patti Smith, “Free Money” – Well I think we could all get on board for a little free money…
The White Stripes, “Honey, We Can’t Afford To Look This Cheap” – Great little B-side from our friends the White Stripes. This track is from Icky Thump, but I’ve been listening to that new 20th anniversary edition of Elephant of late.

There you have it folks. If I missed a favorite song about money of yours, please leave it in the comments section and I’ll see that it gets added to our playlist.

For those of you bummed out about your tax bill today, I suggest turning this playlist up and pouring something brown and murky. For those of you getting a refund, my advice is well, turn this playlist up and pour something dark and murky. Isn’t that always my advice?

Cheers!

New Song Review: Greta Van Fleet Return With “Meeting The Master” – Time To Get Back On The Bandwagon?

April 13, 2023 ~ kcorsini ~ Leave a comment

While we are mostly focused on older artists who have been around for a while and are putting out either new music or stuff from the vault, we do like to keep our eyes on new rock n roll bands here at B&V. Over the years we’ve shared our thoughts on some great new bands who actually play rock n roll with guitars! and real drums! and bass guitar! I have really liked bands like Dirty Honey and Starcrawler that have come up over the last few years. Starcrawler just recently put out an EP of acoustic versions of some of their previous tracks and there’s nothing more rock n roll than that! Who doesn’t like a good Unplugged-esque album? One of the newer bands who I’m proud to say I got in on early was Greta Van Fleet.

GVF is the brothers Kiszka, Josh on vocals; Jake on guitar; Sam on bass and Danny Wagner on drums. The Rock Chick turned me onto their first EP, Black Smoke Rising and I immediately connected with that Zeppelin-esque rock n roll. I was on the bandwagon for their second EP From The Fires and debut full length album Anthem Of A Peaceful Army. Alas, they lost me a bit on their second album, Battle At The Garden Gate. I found it a bit of a midtempo slog. It sometimes is, as Bono said, “The difficult second album.” I know everybody likes to slag these guys as being a Zeppelin knock off band but I think that’s unfair. You’re always a sum of your influences until you forge your own voice. These guys are all really young and establishing their own unique GVF sound and style. While I can’t say I got off the bandwagon after Anthem Of A Peaceful Army, it cooled my ardor for this band a bit. I found myself putting their music on a little less than I had.

This week I found out that GVF have put out a new song “Meeting The Master” from their upcoming album Starcatcher. Even though my ardor had cooled, I wanted to see what the new track was like. I played it for the Rock Chick who was cool to the track, but I love this song. The Rock Chick even said to me, such was her cool reaction to it, “I’m surprised you like this song.” It starts off very mellow. But make no mistake this is an epic 70s style rock tune. It starts off pretty mellow, just Josh’s voice and Jake’s acoustic guitar. There’s something about the sound of that acoustic guitar that takes me back. It’s very “Rain Song.” I hate that every time I hear a GVF tune I end up comparing it to a Zeppelin tune, but there you go. Anyway, the lyrics are their usually trippy, hippy stuff. At first listen I don’t think anybody would be blamed for thinking the confusing lyrics were written by Anthony Kiedis, the master of nonsensical lyrics. But I finally pulled the lyrics up and realized this was a very spiritual song in terms of lyrics. The young Josh sounds like he’s ready to die to meet his master… which I take to mean his version of God. I’m at best a Pagan, but hey, rage on kid. At the 2:37 mark, the track kicks in. Danny Wagner’s drums come into play and the electric guitar shows up.

There was something about this song that also conjures up early Rush to me. Jake’s guitar solo is spectacular. It’s Hendrix-esque in sound. I’m not comparing this guy to Hendrix, these guys suffer enough comparisons, I’m just saying it’s a great guitar solo. I love the lyric, “What a day to travel faster, Take my trip around the sun…” To be this young and have mortality on your mind… I mean, I get why Depeche Mode focused on mortality on Memento Mori, recently reviewed, but these guys are in their 20s. I’m not sure what this means, hence my Kiedis reference, but I dig it, “And I’m taken by the madness and the tripping and the touching…” I’ve never had a problem with madness, tripping or touching… and by tripping I mean falling. The track is only five minutes long but the way it builds to the guitar solo crescendo, with Josh’s wordless wailing in the back ground makes it feel longer and more epic to me. Here’s the track:

This is the kind of rock n roll I can get into. I am so hopeful that this new album will get these guys back on the track of their early music. Let’s hope this gets us all back on the bandwagon! As I’m fond of saying often, sometimes it’s the third album that’s the charm for a band’s career. Give me all the epic, 70s style, trippy rock n roll I can get. Enjoy this one at maximum volume!

Cheers!

Review: Depeche Mode ‘Memento Mori’ – A Dark Record That Will Just Have To Grow On You…

April 11, 2023April 25, 2023 ~ kcorsini ~ 1 Comment

Some records take time… Like any work of art – be that a movie or a book – sometimes it takes a while for the work to “grow” on you. Depeche Mode’s new album Momento Mori, which came out a few weeks ago, is that type of record. I had to listen to it repeatedly to crack the code. Many records click in my head on the first listen but that didn’t happen with Memento Mori. I realize not everybody is going to be willing to work for the rewards this album will bring but for those who are patient, this is a really good album.

I will admit, anticipation for this new Depeche Mode album, their 15th studio record, was running high here at B&V. We absolutely loved their last LP, 2017’s Spirit. That album was full of rousing anthems like “Where’s The Revolution” and “Going Backwards.” Some critics were put off by Depeche veering into the realm of political commentary in song but I felt it was perfect for the times. Some artists just have a knack for capturing the zeitgeist of a particular moment in time. The Rock Chick and I were so enamored with Spirit, we traveled twice to see them in concert, both in Denver and then in Tulsa.

I’ve been a fan of most of the band’s records from this new millennium, especially Delta Machine. Depeche has been on the track where they deliver an album about every four years. But it’s been six years since Spirit. That long wait probably also fueled our anticipation but as I’m fond of saying anticipation can be tricky. Unchecked anticipation will easily lead you to disappointment. One of the reasons for the longer gap between record had to be the death of founding member Andy Fletcher (keyboards) who did not play on any of the tracks on Memento Mori. And of course the world faced a global pandemic during that stretch of time which obviously had a huge impact on the tone and subject matter of the record. Principle songwriter Martin Gore (guitar/keyboards/vocals) began writing these songs during the lockdown. He started writing many of the tracks with Psychedelic Furs front man Richard Butler. Gore was originally going to release those tracks on a side project, but ended up sending them to lead singer Dave Gahan and they ended up on Momento Mori.

Based on the cover art, a photo of two flower arrangements in the shape of angel’s wings, I figured this album would be a requiem for Fletch. I certainly thought so after hearing the great first single, “Ghosts Again,” which I previously reviewed. But I think the darkness on this album is more universal. These songs were born out of the pandemic, a real low point in my lifetime, and they reflect that dark energy. While Spirit was full of rousing, fighting anthems, Memento Mori is more midtempo throughout. The sound is more industrial rock (albeit on the mellower end of the spectrum) than their previous smoother rock n roll. Perhaps Depeche – now just Gore and Gahan – have once again captured the world’s zeitgeist but it’s just heavier. This album is all about mortality. That can be tough for people to get into. There are many examples of an artist turning their mind towards mortality and I’ve always found it fascinating: Dylan’s Time Out of Mind, Springsteen’s Letter To You, and McCartney’s Dance Tonight while wildly different musically than Memento Mori, cover the same topic. And honestly, it’s not all mortality. There are also songs about obsession and unrequited love.

Musically I must say Gahan’s voice is still magical. The guy has not lost anything over the years. Gore has created such a layered and intricate set of musical textures and moods for Gahan to sing over. Gore will never end up on anybody’s “greatest guitarists of all time” lists but I’ve always been intrigued by the sounds he conjures. Whether it’s an accent or a full on Nine Inch Nails assault on the ears, the guy does interesting things with the six string. The best tracks are where Gahan sings and Gore provides a harmony. Again, if you’re willing to put in the work, this album will grow on you and get under your skin.

The album begins with “My Cosmos Is Mine,” that creeps over you like a sinister fog enveloping a city. Gahan sounds otherworldly on this track. It certainly sets the table for whats coming. At one point it sounds like prayer in desperate times, “No war, no war, no war, No more, no more, no more, no more, No fear, no fear, no fear, no fear, Not here, not here, not here, not here…” That track leads to the second, “Wagging Tongues,” considerably less dense track. This is where Gahan sings with Martin on harmony and it’s money. It’s got a skipping keyboard figure and tinny percussion. “Watch another angel die…” The next track is the sensational new single, “Ghosts Again.” I may have described it as mellow but it’s one of the more upbeat moments here.

“Don’t Say You Love Me,” where Gahan comes on as a chanteuse, is like a song from the most depressing ballroom on the planet. It starts with glacial guitar and keyboards. It’s a powerful torch song/ballad. They then turn on the next track to a more industrial/NIN kind of sound for “My Favorite Stranger.” It’s got tortured guitar and jittery percussion. “My favorite stranger, stand in my mirror, puts words in my mouth…” It sounds like Gahan is a serial killer singing to himself in front of a full length mirror. It certainly begs the question, can we ever know ourselves completely? “Soul With Me” is the Martin lead vocal song. He’s like Keef in the Stones, he gets a track on every album. He’s warbling here and I don’t really dig it. I do like the chorus… “Caroline’s Monkey” is next and it’s really elevated by Gahan’s vocals. I feel like the song never takes off the way it was supposed to but it does pick up in the middle.

“Before We Drown” is one of my favorite songs on the album. It’s more sweeping and grand. “I’ve been thinking, I could come back home…” It’s all about reaching back to a lover and asking, let’s try again. Gahan’s vocal on the track is certainly something special. “People Are Good” harkens back to early Depeche and “People Are People” only this track is more cynical. Over metallic percussion Gahan sings “People are good, keep fooling yourself.” It’s another highlight. “Always You” is a love song bordering on obsession. It turns the concept of the love song on it’s head. Is it romantic or menacing? It’s another great song. The best tracks on this album all seem to be toward the end. “Never Let Me Go” is another NIN squalling guitar song. It also lyrically calls to mind “Never Let Me Down Again,” although not musically. It’s marinated in romantic frustration. The music is discomfiting. Gahan almost spits out the words “I’ve been so patient, I have been so calm.” The album ends on the chilling ballad “Speak To Me” in the same vein as the aforementioned “Don’t Say You Love Me.” I love the line “You’d be my drug of choice.” While it’s a very slow song it builds to a wonderful crescendo.

Any Depeche Mode album the critics love tends to be described as “their best album since Violator.” I think Depeche has put out a number of great records since that landmark album so I shy away from that description. If pressed, I’d admit that I liked Spirit better but it was an easier, more accessible listen. I know not everybody is going to take the time to let this album grow on you – the Rock Chick gave it one listen, described it as “music to weep to,” and left it behind. But it’s albums like this – that grow on me – that tend to stick with me the longest over the years. Everybody should listen to this album, but do so more than once or twice. It wasn’t what I expected but anticipation leads to expectations and no album should be listened to through the filter of expectations. Listen to this one with the headphones on and eventually, like a flower opening, it will reveal itself to you.

Cheers!

Rock Bands With A Disco Song – Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em And Dance All The Way To The Top Of The Charts

April 7, 2023April 8, 2023 ~ kcorsini ~ 5 Comments

rod

It was roughly 1977-1978 when I stopped using my nightstand clock/radio – who needs Apple? – to exclusively listen to Royals games at night and started listening to rock and roll music. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, I’d gone from not listening to music at all, unless my brother had extorted my mom into turning on one of the two rock stations in town while we were going somewhere in the Oldsmobile, to constantly listening to music in my room. By that point I had a lot of catching up to do in terms of rock n roll. But during that particular time in music, disco was king. I didn’t know much about music, but I understood early on that if you wanted to be considered “cool” you didn’t listen to disco.

Disco, as defined by Wikipedia is “a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States’ urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric piano, synthesizers, and electric rhythm guitars.” As a junior high school aged kid, all you needed to know was that disco was dance music and dancing was well, “for chicks.” At least it was if you were a white, teenage boy in the Midwest suburbs who couldn’t dance. Of course, I’ve never been able to dance. It was my destiny to be a wallflower. It’s hard to describe how pervasive disco really was. The radio was full of Donna Summer, KC and the Sunshine Band and of course, the Bee Gees. If you were a teenage “dude” trying to establish an identity, you didn’t want to be caught dead owning or listening to any of these bands’ music. I certainly wasn’t humming along to “Boogie Shoes.” We liked loud guitar to express our existential angst at becoming young men. Something more aggressive like say, AC/DC… which I guess you could actually dance to… if you’d wanted to?

While disco had been around since the early 70s, the apex of disco was probably when the movie Saturday Night Fever came out in 1977. The soundtrack featuring the aforementioned Bee Gees exploded. John Travolta in a white suit, dancing around like he was being electrocuted was iconic. Of course anything that gets as big as disco is going to cause backlash. Wasn’t Newton’s Third Law of Motion, “To every action, there is always opposed an equal reaction; or, the mutual actions of two bodies upon each other are always equal, and directed to contrary parts.” Well, that was certainly true of disco. It created the whole “Death Before Disco” movement… trust me, it was a movement, there were t-shirts. There was a DJ on our local station, Max Floyd, who went by the moniker General Max Floyd of the Rock N Roll Army whose shtick included playing the first few bars of a disco tune while playing exploding noises as if he were “blowing up” the song. Of course there was the famous Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in Chicago in the middle of a White Sox double-header where a DJ had an anti-disco rally where he actually did blow up a bunch of disco records… the destruction to the field during the ensuing riot caused so much damage to the field the Sox had to forfeit the second game of the night to the Tigers. Seems a tad extreme all these years later… but I bet there’s guys sitting at the Burwood Tap still bragging about being there.

While I didn’t own the t-shirt for “Death Before Disco,” I would have probably worn one had I the chance. I certainly tuned into General Max Floyd every day after school. When you’re a teenager going through puberty, you have no idea who you are so you just try to blend in. And none of us were confident enough to dance or even talk to a girl so forget about disco. But despite all of that macho posturing, in retrospect I’ve come to realize that all of our favorite rock bands were sneaking disco tunes past our defenses and worming their way into our ears. The Rock Stars we all worshiped were all hanging around in Studio 54 or some other famous disco, partying and yes, dancing with super models. That disco stuff had to seep it’s way into our Rock Star’s consciousness and eventually into their music. Unbeknownst to we “Death Before Disco” types, the biggest bands in the world were doing disco tunes: The Stones, Zeppelin, Rod, hell, even the Grateful Dead jumped on the bandwagon. Admittedly, in some cases this was just a crass financial move, calculated to climb the charts: Kiss, ELO, and Eddie Money. But in many of these cases, the bands liked the music and put their spin on it and were wildly successful doing so.

Here is a list of some of my favorite bands and their associated disco tunes. While these were the dread disco you can likely find each of these songs on the artist’s latest “greatest hits” compilation. Why? Because we didn’t, at the time, realize it was disco and loved it. Even a hardline wallflower like me will admit love for most of these tunes. Some of these songs may not be straight up disco, but you can’t deny the disco influence…

The Rolling Stones, “Miss You” – Leave it to Mick and the boys to do a disco tune but also bring in blues harp legend Sugar Blue on harmonica to make it feel bluesy. This tune, “Beast Of Burden,” and “Shattered” led me to my first ever LP purchase, Some Girls. Of course for the Stones, they lingered on the disco fascination on their next LP with “Dance (Pt. 1),” and “Emotional Rescue.” Hey, if it worked, can you blame them?
David Bowie, “Young Americans” – Bowie was early on the disco train, before it was huge. “1984” on Diamond Dogs was pure disco. I’ve always liked this one though. Of course Bowie would return to disco on “Let’s Dance” in 1983 when he wanted a “hit.”
Rod Stewart, “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” – I would list this song under my guilty pleasures. But a song about a young man meeting a young woman in a club and going home to have a shallow 1-night stand was irresistible to a teenage boy dreaming of such things…
Grateful Dead, “Shakedown Street” – The most shocking artist on the list. The venerable Dead of the jam band and cult like fans had a strange fascination with disco… “Nothin’ shakin’ on shakedown street, used to be the heart of town.” I was more fond of their country rock stuff from the early 70s but I’ll admit hitting the volume knob when this track came on.
Led Zeppelin, “Dancing Days” – I can’t believe Houses of the Holy and this funky tune are 50 years old this year. “Sippin’ booze is precedent.” I love this song.
The Eagles, “One Of These Nights” – This is more disco influenced than disco. But if you listen closely, I defy you to disagree that Henley and Frey were influenced by dance music. “Lookin’ for the daughter of the Devil himself, looking for an angel in white…” I suspect you could find both at your local disco.
Pink Floyd, “Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2” – Another shocking entry. One doesn’t think of disco when you think of Pink Floyd. But this track does bear the influence of disco. I’m still grooving on the stuff released for the 50th anniversary of Dark Side Of The Moon.
The Kinks, “(Wish I Could Fly) Like Superman” – This is more rock n roll but you can’t deny the disco undertones. I feel like the Kinks don’t get the attention they should.
Elton John, “The Bitch Is Back” – A favorite of mine despite the disco trappings. I considered “Island Girl” as well, it could easily slide in on this list.
Queen, “Another One Bites The Dust” – A great, great Queen song. I had a chance to see them on this tour and I turned it down…
The Clash, “The Magnificent Seven” – Even these punk rockers, the World’s Most Important Band, the Clash, weren’t immune to the allure of disco. Of course Elvis Costello said of the Clash, they were only punk on the first two records and after that they just sort of played whatever was in Joe Strummer’s music collection.
Thin Lizzy, “Dancing In The Moonlight (It’s Caught Me In The Spotlight)” – At least Thin Lizzy were honest about their intentions, using “dancing” in the title. Great song though.
Robert Palmer, “Every Kind Of People” – Palmer before his big 80s, video superstardom, doing a song written by Andy Fraser, former bass player of the great band Free. For some reason I always thought this was a Sly and the Family Stone cover. Wrong!
Blondie, “Heart of Glass” – I feel like Blondie was a band who could do anything musically… and get away with it. This song is no exception.
Paul McCartney, “Goodnight Tonight” – Other than ELO, this may be the cheesiest tune on here. Macca just turns up the cheese-o-meter to 11. A dance song where the singer pleads to his partner not to get too tired for “love” later… Oh, Paul.
Kiss, “I Was Made For Loving You” – Kiss had a song for every fan of almost every music style… I’m surprised they didn’t go country. Good tune though.
Eddie Money, “Maybe I’m A Fool” – From Eddie’s uneven third album. He was clearly trying for a hit here. Catchy but betrayed what he did best.
Electric Light Orchestra, “Shine A Little Love” – While I’ve always found ELO to be derivative of the Beatles, they do have some great songs. This, is not one of them, but it was a big hit.
Jackson Browne, “Disco Apocalypse” – From his misguided Hold Out album. Was this a complaint, a protest against disco or just a disco-ish song? There’s a piece where he lets the back up singer take over lead vocals which was unfortunate. I was very confused by this one…
Frank Zappa, “Dancin’ Fool” – In typical Zappa fashion, he recorded this song as a parody of disco to ridicule it and it ended up being the second biggest hit of his career. Dancing all the way to the bank so to speak.

These are the best examples of our heroes, our favorite rock bands going disco. I’m sure many of you have other examples that I might have left out. If so, leave them in the comments section. I’m not sure but there may be a playlist lurking in here somewhere…

Cheers! Dance like no one is watching… yeah, not. No way. Never.

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