Not my thing, not my thing, not my thing… not my thing. Stop the “Peace Train” now and let me off. That’s actually a cover of a Cat Stevens song, but I think it might have been the biggest hit from this record. I know this isn’t “bad” music I just can’t bring myself to like it. It’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it. OK, maybe no one has to do this, but when I started this blog I committed to playing every record in our collection at least one more time and posting about it. We won’t be keeping this one. Mary doesn’t even know why she got their records in the first place.
10,000 Maniacs’ In My Tribe came out in 1987. I believe I heard Michael Stipe singing on one track.
The full title of this double album is, as best I can tell, (Should We Talk About The Weather) (Should We Talk About The Government). That’s how it’s written on the spine. It was a special promo for R.E.M.’s 1988 album Green, and was something sent to record stores and radio stations. On the back cover it says “This hour long interview with R.E.M. is divided into four quarter hour segments…” But here’s the downer: instead of the two different platters this copy was packed with two copies of record one. Record one side one is an interview with Peter Buck with a couple songs from Green, and side two, called “part 3” is an interview with Michael Stipe with a couple more songs. What about Mike and Bill? Bogus. It’s somewhat interesting listening to the band talk about their experience to that point. I’m sure fans would love it. If this was a proper set I’d be tempted to keep it, but it isn’t, so I won’t. The purge continues…
Pixies. What a great band. I have to say that I don’t listen to their music a lot any more, but there was a time when I couldn’t get enough. This imported 12 inch is from 1988 and has studio versions of “Gigantic” and “River Euphrates” with live tracks of “Vamos” and “Heaven” on the flip. I suppose we’ll keep it, but there are quite a few Pixies records in the collection, some with the same studio cuts.
Most of the artwork on their record sleeves is strange, and in some cases disturbing. I’m not sure what’s going on with this one. I’m sure somewhere there’s an in depth article on this topic. I’ll do more research on the next Pixies post.
Money Mark is the greatest. He’s played with everyone from Beck to the Beastie Boys, but the truth is, even though I love those artists, I play his music much more often. Mark’s Keyboard Repair has 30 tracks. You’re probably thinking “that’s too much” but I assure after one listen you’ll start thinking “I want more.” Some folks describe this recording as demo quality, but I disagree. It’s free and loose but the sound is perfect. Many of the songs are only about a minute long. In some ways it feels less like a typical album and more like the cue track to your favorite unmade movie. Give it a spin and pretend you’re the star.
Arty doesn’t always equate to interesting and noise is no substitute for real intensity. I was big fan of Gun Club, but this solo EP from Jeffrey Lee Pierce just doesn’t cut it. By the third track Mary mentioned “he’s doing a little bit of everything.” I wish he had focused on music like “Love & Desparation” from the second side instead. That’s a great song, but most of this is annoying noodling around that shouldn’t even qualify as B-side filler.
I apologize. And with that out the way let’s talk about the only record I have by The Leaving Trains that I didn’t buy. This one must have been a promo we got when I worked at a chain record store in a shopping mall. You can see from the last pic that the label, SST, ran a display contest. “Win a Plane Trip to a Trains Show.” I guess back in 1987 that would have motivated some folks, but there is no way a chain store in the mall was going cover a wall with record cover reprints, or “flats” as they were called, of an album titled Fuck that just happened to have “FUCK” printed big and bold on the front.
A couple decades later a title like that seems more like a cheap attention-getting gimmick than it did to me at the time. It might work now, but I’m pretty certain this did nothing to help them sell records then. It’s not my favorite of the three LT records I have, but there are some great garage-punk-rock, body-moving songs on this album.
I think I got this from Bob Schick when I was visiting Richmond. He was (is?) a buyer at Plan 9 Records (now “Music”) and always had more promo stuff than you can imagine. Anyhow, this is a fantastic single. When it was new I was turned off by the retro vibe, but I’m over that now. Bring the retro back! Make it double retro… or something like that. This is the only Elastica music I own, and it’s only two minutes long.
Tip: Elastica makes a great starting point for your next Jango station.
Acquired: 1989 – At a record I owned with my brother
Keeper: No
Here’s another record that’s really “for fans only.” I only have it because I was running a record store with my brother when it came out. I’m a big fan of Jane’s Addiction and even I don’t want to keep The Shocking E.P. As you can see from the cover it’s a “limited edition” and I’ll tell you why. The only thing “shocking” is Perry Farrell’s larger than life face on the cover. There’s another pic on the back of the whole band, you know, for fans. The only non-album cut is “Had a Dad – Live!” and it’s pretty forgettable. “Mountain Song” and certainly “Jane Says” are rock classics, but all of us fans already have those tracks. This is an import from Englandia.
This is one quiet and dark album. I am huge PJ Harvey fan, and I just got this album. At first I was disappointed how quiet and low key these songs are, all of them. Drums and percussion are virtually non-existent, and no song rocks out the way PJ always seems to, eventually. But there’s a different kind of power here. According to PJ, see the documentary below, she was determined not to repeat herself. I have probably listened to the entire album 10 times in the last 24 hours and each time it gets better.
White Chalk is being release in a limited edition vinyl version, which tragically I do not have. But the CD is packaged in a more earth-friendly way, similar to a real record, with a cardboard jacket and separate liner. Handsome.
I went to a hardcore punk throwdown last night with Double Negative, and got to meet my new buddy Kevin, singer of the band. More about that and their new album next Monday.
Today’s record is English Settlement by XTC. Regular readers of this site will know that I’m no card carrying member of the XTC fan club, but this one is better than most. Which is a good thing because it’s a double album. If you’re going to release a double album please put in the extra effort. Otherwise… the obvious. My favorite song is the first one, “Runaways.” This is Mary’s record and I defer to her on the rating.
Sorry about the slightly out of focus album jacket, but I did throw in a pic of one liner sleeve at no extra charge.
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