Quicksilver Messenger Service - s/t

Finally bought a record from a band that I have heard tons about for decades. They were part of the San Francisco scene and contemporaries of Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead. This debut album from 1968 is just a beautiful mix of early 'hippie music", or as I knew it growing up, Acid Rock. The key to the music on this record is the guitar work of John Cipollina. He is so melodic and the swirling guitar runs that hey plays are both memorable and mesmerizing. I wish I had listened to this band before. In fact, I would love to hear their live recordings from the era since it would be amazing to hear how the band would extend their jams on some of these songs. Check out this for a taste.

The Jam - Fire and Skill

Wow. I hesitated on buying this for a long time.  I love the Jam and there have been countless box sets and compilation packages that have been  released since they stopped being a band in 1982(?)  However, a recent post by a friend on Facebook whose musical tastes I respect, led me to reconsider purchasing this 6 CD box set of live shows from the band.  Luckily for me, the record store about a block from my condo had a box just sitting there for months and months.

Aside from writing great albums and great songs, The Jam were always known as being a fantastic live band.  With a sound of slashing guitars, this three piece sounded like a freight train unleashed on a concert hall. Their intensity was a second to none. Well, this box set really seems to capture the band in all of its glory. Each CD is one entire show from each of the last 6 years of existence of the band. The last six years basically spanning the time from their first album to the last album.  The first CD capturing the band very early is just a purse slash and burn affair. The power is great and the band is cookin'. The next few CDs still capture that intensity but the musicianship becomes better and the songs and melodies even more pronounced. I was especially taken with third CD that captured the show on February 16, 1979 at Reading University. Based on the set list, they had just released their third (and for many their best) album All Mod Cons. The last few CDs captured a still great band but with more sophistication. YouTube is just full of great Jam music but here is one my favorite songs of theirs Tonight At Noon.  For more intensity, check out In The City/Art School.

Dwight Yoakam - Original Album Series

The first 5 albums in one little cool box.  I recently saw Dwight Yoakam for the first time and I must say the show was great and he is a total professional.  When I was 18/19 years old and working at Off The Record in San Diego, it was strange to see his first album come out and all the punk kids buying it.  I later realized that Dwight was respected because he often played the same underground rock clubs in Los Angeles that all the punk bands played. In addition, Dwight played real authentic music rooted in that Bakersfield sound.  It was the authenticity that the punk rock and underground rock kids liked.

Dwight has appeared in movies and is a star. However, his fame really hasn't affected his music and his passion. I salute you Dwight!

Record of the Week: Mega City Four - Tranzophobia (1989) (CD)

I am back!. With Tranzophobia, Mega's debut album, I finally have all the the albums of one my favorite UK guitar pop bands of all time. They use to call it "adrenalin-pop" because of the frenzied pace of the songs. While the music was fast, Mega City Four always had a touch for melody. If you doubt me, listen to this great song from this album, Paper Tiger.  All the albums are great and a must-buy for any of you into melodic guitar based bands.

Record of the Week: The Resonars - Lunar Kit

Matt Rendon, from Tucson, Arizona has been recording under the name The Resonars for quite a few years. I believe there was a full functioning band at one time but eventually the band became largely a vehicle for Matt's 60s inspired, melodic pop gems.  While I chose this record as the "Record of the Week", it was actually released in 2002 on Get Hip Records out of Pittsburgh, PA.

I recently obtained a copy of this record since I missed it when it originally came out but when I listened to for the first time it sounded so good that I felt that I need to tell the world about it.  By the way, thanks Amazon! One thing to note, if you pick up this record and like it, you will love their entire catalog.  The Resonars sound has not changed much over the years but that is a good thing. The consistency of the song writing has been incredible over the years. Every record has at least one song that is worth the price of admission alone. This record may actually have a couple. For example, check out the pretty She's In Love With Her, or the more gritty but no less melodic Funny Old World.  Finally, here is my favorite song on this album...if I had written this I would retire...Way Way Way Way Out  The Resonars..one of Arizona's finest...and criminally ignored.

For those that are interested in the band, check out this brief 7 minute video on Matt and his studio and recording career.

The Vagrants - I Can't Make a Friend 1965 -1968

What a nice surprise.  Garage band from Forest Hills, NY.  This is not the snarling garage punk rock variety but is instead more melody based with a few elements of folk rock.

For a taste of how melodic these guys could be, take a listen to this gorgeous song called, Your Hasty Heart.  Also, check out, You're Too Young.  Here is a final song, And When It's Over.  If this is your bag, you will like the Vagrants.

Record of the Week: Newtown Neurotics - Punk Collection

When I first started working at Off The Record in San Diego when I was a freshman in college, I was still pretty new to "punk" music. I was aware and into bands like The Clash, The Jam, The Sex Pistols, etc, but I did not really know much about the thousands of other punk bands from that era; bands that were as good as the bands that were famous.  However, at Off The Record, I was able to explore LPSs and 45s to my heart's content.  My first exposure to the Newtown Neurotics came in the way of import of 45s from the UK.  I can't remember what order I bought them in but I remember that I picked up 3 pretty much right in a row.  The time frame? 1981/82?  For the longest time, all that was available were these three (or four?) killer singles with these great, melodic punk riffs and Steve Drewett's impassioned vocals. Check out Kick Out the Tories, or Mindless Violence. 

Eventually, the Newtown Neurotics LP finally came out and we all rejoiced because we had a full album of this tremendous three piece band with new songs that were just as good as those on the early 45s.  On this debut LP, we were introduced other classic Neurotics songs like No Respect and Newtown People. Here is a live version of Newtown People. 

This collection, which I highly recommend, contains all the Newtown Neurotics 45s (both A and B sides) and the full debut LP on one CD. The CD comes with Steve's notes and comments on each song in this collection. If you like any of the songs I have posted above, I think you will enjoy the rest of this CD.

A tremendous band.