The Beta Band: The Three EPs

Elitist Snobbery Worked On Me Edition



Eu comprei-o usei-me na Amoeba quando RC excursionou até San Francisco, e eu estava tentando estar fresco. Isto lembra-me de algo como Slint ou Tortoise, com mais amostras e sensibilidades do musica pop. As canções são pouco umas demasiado longas e I' a VE saltou-os quando vêm acima no wife' s iPod. Escutando através do tudo isto outra vez reacendeu minha apreciação, mesmo que eu sentisse como um chump para ser introduzida a ela com esse filme.

Translation from the Portuguese
I bought it used at Amoeba when RC toured up to San Francisco, and I was trying to be cool. This reminds me of something like Slint or Tortoise, with more samples and pop sensibilities. The songs are a little too long and I've skipped them when they come up on the wife's iPod. Listening through the whole thing again has rekindled my appreciation, even though I feel like a chump for being introduced to it through a movie like this.

Belly: King

Crab, Pin and "Mock, yeah!" Edition

Don, Fisher, Sofa, of Hearts, of Clubs, of Diamonds, of Spades, of the Hill. Follows: Roc-, Loo-, Ba-, Snac-, Frac-(Battle Star Galactica), Jo-, Smac-, Hac-, Bac-, Suc-, Jac-, Rac-, Wrac-.

See Also: Diamond, Larry, of Pop, of Fools, Rain, Sun, Lizard. Precedes: -ly, -dom.
Used in a sentence: I found this CD to be lac-.

Belly: Star

Seriously, Stop Feeding It or You'll Need a Belly Band Edition

Tanya Donelly did not count on Google when she named her band Belly. Look up "belly band" sometime. Welcome to America, circa 2010.

Circa 1993, I had just graduated from high-school, grunge was on top, hipsters emulated hippies, and "Feed the Tree" was on MTV's "120 Minutes". MTV still played music on their station then, not just on the website. Feed the Tree was a decoy, and much more "rockin'" than anything else on the album, which is mostly dreamy, slightly ethereal-folksy drivel. Except for "Slow Dog", which is kinda poppy, but has a riff that seems so contrived and overused as it transitions into the chorus, I can't give it a pass. Were it not for Shandree, this CD would have been gone long ago. But if the wife likes it, we keep it. I'm fine with that. It's kept me off the streets.

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones: UFO Tofu

Bottle Rocket Edition

In Wes Anderson's premier film, Bottle Rocket, the character of Bob played by Robert Musgrave is a hapless rich kid, whose friendship with Owen Wilson's Dignan and Luke Wilson's Anthony leads him into shenanigans. Bob is a supporting character, but essential to the plot, as he is ultimately the guy who gets the most hosed by the inane caper Dignan leads them into. Bob has an older brother, who ridicules him relentlessly, even though they are well into their late twenties and maybe early thirties in the film. This brother, played to jack-ass perfection by Andrew Wilson, is named...Future Man.

The "drummer" for Bela Fleck is named Future Man, too. What a strange coincidence. Bottle Rocket's Future Man is an irate turd who thinks he's above childish enthusiasm, while Bela Fleck's Future Man is a pirate nerd who thinks he's above playing actual drums.

Definitely check it out, if you haven't. Bottle Rocket. Not Bela Fleck. (Victor Wooten on bass is amazing though, I'll concede...)

The Beatles: Live at the BBC

Bring Beatles Candy Edition

At nearly 70 tracks over two disks, this is my second favorite - and last - Beatles entry for Disk-a-Day, at least as far as my current collection goes. This is early stuff, the rock they played when they first started...the covers of rock classics and some of their own songs; Poppy, catchy, and danceable all the way. Interspersed are vignettes of the band chatting up the BBC host and making jokes like kids do. Really charming, actually.

Like many of the CDs I'm "reviewing", I've never listened all the way through this one until now. I missed out. These guys were amazing live...warm, clear, and solid. It's no wonder they "made it". I was taken back to a youth I never had, but reminded that there was a time when John, Paul, George and Ringo had the world in their hands and didn't realize it, still treating it with joy and playfulness. I heard these songs and felt like all the crap going on today will pass, or change, or whatever; Now is just a moment in history, in stereo. It might do well to listen.

The Beatles: Let it Be

Jude Where's my Car Edition

From the album cover (Punctuation and format as it appears, more or less) :

This is a new phase BEATLES album...
essential to the content of the film, LET IT BE was that they
performed live for many of the tracks; in comes the warmth and
the freshness of a live performance; as reproduced for disc by
Phil Spector.

Phil Spector was a popular producer of the day. He also killed Lana Clarkson recently. So...

This album has harps and orchestra on it. It won awards, and all that. I'm not super fond of it, but that maybe from unfamiliarity. I do like the little essay above, though. This is a new phase DISK-A-DAY blog... sounds good!

The Beatles: Abbey Road

Got to be Good Lookin' Edition

Paul McCartney looks so freakin' cool on this album's cover, bare feet and cigarette worn with pride. Can we all agree that McCartney was the cool one and still is? Thanks. Of course, everyone thinks they all look great here, which is why the album cover is copied so often by all kinds of artists, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Kanye West. Ugh.

Speaking of "covers" one thing I'm not a fan of is how many different covers of "Come Together" I've heard over the years. It's a neat song, but when so many people cover it and can do nothing more interesting with it than has already been done, why bother? I guess it's a testament to the impact the song has had on these artists, but some songs should be left alone.

I don't like Abbey Road as much as Revolver. I don't know why, but it just doesn't catch me as easily. Great songs, and lots of variety, like Sgt. Pepper, but...I dunno. Is my lack of Beatles "cred" showing too much?

The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

They Were Roses Edition

When Shandree and I were still dating and she lived with her folks, I came over one day to surprise her. I purchased some flowers and plucked the petals from them, and spelled out a love message to her on the floor. On the stereo, I put this CD in and looped "When I'm Sixty Four" so whenever she got home, it would be playing when she walked into her room.

Did you know that "BEATLES" is spelled out on the cover of this album in flowers? That's not where I got the idea. A happy coincidence. I should never get rid of this actual CD, even if I never listen to it again. But I'm sure I will.

The Beatles: Revolver

"And it was still hot" Edition

Last year, I saw Where the Wild Things Are at the Mira Mesa I-Max theater, and some kids in front of us in line were talking about music. The first kid, a tall, heavyset dude, lisped that The Beatles were over-rated.

Now, I'm gonna let him have his opinion, but...it's wrong.

Still, I was a late adopter, too, so there's still hope for the youngster. I can say without reservation, however, that Revolver is one of the best pop records ever made.

I have a theory as to why this kid, and I for a time, didn't understand the genius that is The Beatles: The bands I grew up on projected strength, and wore their rock-energy like a badge for all to see. The Beatles were much more subtle and nuanced. While their songs certainly have energy and are still vital today, it's because they knew exactly where to leave space and not throw it all out there. And they knew how to "throw it all out there". (See their live stuff and the BBC sessions, coming soon!) They just chose not to do that all the time, and that's what made them brilliant.

It's the reason why The Beatles are legends and Oasis will simply strive to emulate that legendary status, without ever attaining it. Restraint. Control. Nuance.

Also, for all the haters who say that Ringo Starr isn't a great drummer, I submit his work on "Taxman". The solid meter, punch and drive the drums bring to that song are incomparable. He may have not been a "flashy" drummer, but he's easily one of the best.

Beastie Boys: Ill Communication

Cop Stunts Edition

This is the last Beasties CD I purchased, but I'm determined to grab more of them. As a matter of fact, I recently re-purchased this while up in LA for a Geezer show. I had sold my original copy in the "Great Purge".

This is a good one, with "Sabotage" being the breakout hit. This record wasn't nearly as iconic for me or my friends, so it was only recently that I appreciated the album for the powerhouse that it is, I guess. They took everything they dabbled with on Check Your Head and upped the ante. Ill Communication might not feel as accessible as Check Your Head, but think of it as their Amnesiac to Kid A. Or don't. I've become a fan of the song "B-Boys Makin' with the Freak Freak".

Maybe because I can't understand the words.

Beastie Boys: Check Your Head

G-Cubed Edition

This next one is...the first post...on my new album.

In my senior year of High School, I met a couple guys that would end up being the best friends I made in those days; Jason and Tracy. It was weird, too, because I didn't really get to know Tracy until the night of prom, when he and Joanne went with Marie and me. We hit it off pretty well, and since we both knew Jason, ended up hanging out quite a bit that summer while we tried to figure out who we were going to be.

We bonded on a bunch of stuff, not the least of which was musical taste, and this record was a staple. Whenever I hear it, especially "So Watcha Want", I remember those days, and how close the three of us were then. Since we were three white dudes, and the Beastie's were three white dudes, I think we drew as many parallels as we could muster. So of course, our group had to have a name, too.

One day, while we were trying to think of that name (DORKS would have worked...), we were lamenting about how lame we were at attracting girls. Tracy called us, sarcastically, the "Go Get 'em Gang". And it stuck. We referred to ourselves as G-Cubed (like, G to the third power) the rest of the summer.

Man...

So, recently, the guys in Geezer and the band members of local mainstays Ilya got together to do some shows as License to Ilya, a Beastie Boys tribute. While I wasn't too fond of how this show went, I loved doing this song. Check out Zach Goode(MZA), Adam Gimbel(The King Old-Rock) and me(Nas D).

Joan Baez: Hits/Greatest & Others

If My Mom had a Record Deal Edition

...she'd sound better than Joan. Sorry folksters, Joan sucks. I'm not exactly sure why she's an icon, other than her connection to Bob Dylan, and actually, the live recordings I've heard of the two of them are pretty entertaining. His jacked up voice with her pedestrian warble = magic, kinda like Jerry Cantrell and the late Layne Staley of Alice in Chains. Solo...not so much. Together: GOLD.

I know, I know. How can I dis Joan Baez? She was an icon, an established staple of American Music at the turning point of American Music. Well, too bad. American music got good when the British came back and took it over in retaliation for 1776, forcing the Yanks to follow suit. We may have invented Rock&Roll, but they honed it, and I'm looking forward to a little later in the "B's". You know who I'm talking about.

I would like to have dinner at Joan Baez's house. I bet she makes a tasty green-bean casserole.

Bad Credit: Financial Hip-Hop

No Cash Value Edition

Five perfect tracks on this local comedy rap troupe's first CD are all it takes to make this disc worth owning. Bad Credit is all about the Benjamins, going so far as to demand the five-bucks back they loaned to Bill Gates, the sop. Their live shows were great, and though they released a full-length album, it meanders in parts, while this EP is pure entertainment that fires on all cylinders. These songs are funny and have great hooks. What else do you need on a lazy Saturday in California? Well, other than food in your belly and a roof over your head and the security to enjoy financial freedom and being able to have anything your petty heart desires in seconds?

Obviously, nothing.

Bad Mood Zeus: Bad Mood Zeus

B-ginning Edition


Hiya, Spinners! Welcome to the first entry in "B"! Brought to you by "A"...


This power trio from San Diego changed their name to the name of their label after this first CD came out. A change of bass players instigated a change of monikers, as I found out later after my friend Brenda told me about this great band she listened to called Superunloader. A little investigation revealed I'd already heard them. For manic, jam-funk 70's rock, look no further.

Seriously, when I first heard this CD way back in '93, I was astounded by how authentically retro it feels. These three guys seemed to channel all the fury of Hendrix, Woodstock era Santana, and a little of The Who for good measure. My favorite song on the record is the understated "The Maze". This one seems to favor groove over manic thrash-funk, and it's better for it. The CD is long out of print, but you can purchase all the songs through their website.

This album reminds me of the days I spent at Grossmont college right out of High School. I was trying to figure out who I wanted to be, and music played a big part in the process, for better or worse. On one side was Bad Mood Zeus, Rush, and all the prog-rock and Pearl Jam in my collection. On the other side, the local indie emo kids that I was befriending introduced me to Fugazi, Slint, Drive Like Jehu, et al. It feels good to be an adult, able to enjoy all of it without needing it to define my life. It's more fun that way. Youth is a mess, though fantastic.

Avion: Avion

Truth and Consequences Edition

I know the singer. Steve Bertrand lives in LA. He has had enough success to really taste it, but maybe not enough to fill him up. I haven't talked to him in years. Here's maybe why:

When I was in Rookie Card, Steve finished with his first band, The Tories, and started Avion. I naively asked him if we could share shows: He'd do one with us in San Diego, while we'd then do one with him in LA. It all went south. Steve agreed to do it, but wasn't really excited about it, getting the idea pretty quickly that we wouldn't draw the kind of crowd they were used to in LA. Which is true. We wouldn't, and didn't, due in part to very shitty promotion of the show on our behalf. No one in the band save me had any interest in Avion.

The night of the show, Avion came down in a bus(!) and hung out in it pretty much the whole night, except when it was time to play. I saw Steve that evening for maybe two minutes. He didn't stick around to watch our set. I guess he felt upset about the lack of turnout and the long drive. Too bad. He called me a few days later, upholding his end of the deal. I told him we'd opt out if we had to presell tickets, which he acknowledged we would have to, and mentioned that he figured as much; "No hard feelings". That was the last time I talked to the dude.

Which is fine, but kinda lame. We originally met under different conditions, before the Tories' first album came out, when he was traveling with some Christian friends from LA, including Billy Zabka (Daniel-san's Johnny!) and the as yet unknown Doug Jones (Abe Sapien from Hellboy; Pan’s Labyrinth), ministering at churches, talking about Christianity in Hollywood. After we met, I used to make a point to go see the Tories whenever they came to SD.

Steve, if you ever read this, I apologize. I've harbored some pretty bad feelings towards you for a while now, and that's wrong and useless. Let's have a cup of coffee and meet back at God, instead of at the alter of rock-&-roll, which is no god at all.

Also, I don't really like the Avion CD. Who cares?

Audience of One (Shadow Mountain Student Ministries): Audience of One

Not Ashamed, but Certainly Sensitive Edition

I believe in Jesus Christ; That He is God, that He died for the sins of the world, and that He rose from the dead. I believe He is the only way to God, and that all men will perish unless they accept His free gift of salvation by believing in Him alone.

If you are still with me, and haven't erased this blog from memory, thanks. My Christianity may come as a shock, it may offend; or maybe not. I don't even know what's shocking anymore. I'm constantly surprised. I say all that so you understand why this CD is in my collection, and why it's so important to me. Artistically, it's not very good. There is nothing to really set each song apart from the others in arrangement or timing, save one standout played at double the tempo of all the others. The recording sounds a little hollow, and while the mix is fine, there's no "oomph". There are far better CD's representing contemporary worship songs.

Still, it's the first full-length recording I ever did. My friends Adam, his sister Anna, his future wife Erin and Mike on bass had played regularly together for months by the time we recorded this, all in one long day back in 1997. When we finally got copies in hand, we were proud and excited to share it. I am still glad to have done it, though I can hear every flaw and a million ways to "do it better". I just have to ask myself, to what end would I want to; For praise of my God, or praise of myself? That is the question all Christian artists wrestle with. I am wrestling with it to this day; even as I wrote this, even as I contemplated removing the first paragraph...

Natacha Atlas: Gedida

Full Belly Dancing Edition

Last summer saw Shan and I go to three weddings: Two of them Arabic. If you've never been to an Arabic Wedding, beg borrow or steal an invitation. Good food, good drink, great music and dancing. Or, you could buy this album for a taste of the music, at least. High energy, rhythmic and sexy, you will tap your foot, even if she only sings one song in English. (And one in French!)

This album surprised me. I wasn't sure I wanted to listen to it on the ride to work, especially after the rock-show high I was on from the night before. However, I'm glad I did. While the songs here may not be purely traditional, they are likely more accessible to new listeners, with great instrumentation and rich production values. As a kid, I grew up hating the bootleg live tapes my dad used to play on long car rides of his favorite Arabic singers. Perhaps if he'd been blasting Natacha Atlas, I would've come around a lot sooner. Maybe...