Has there ever been a bigger creative leap between a debut and follow up album than what the Beasties pulled off in 1989?
It's unbelieveable that these dudes were the same group that put out "Fight for Your Right" and "Girls" on "Licensed to Ill" (although you could hear hints of something a little bit better in "Hold it Now"
We call this foreshadowing in the English biz
One thing that always bugged me, though, was that as soon as the Beasties started to get some true cred with this CD and more mainstream popularity with "Check Your Head" ("Paul's Boutique" tanked upon release, but became well respected later. We call that the "Pinkerton" effect, for what it's worth), they wanted to distance themseves from their fratty, party boy past, dismissing it and calling it an obvious joke, which apparently no one was in on except them.
Come on, guys. No one with any sense was buying that. Just because you're all Buddhist and shit now doesn't mean you were a bratty little Brooklyn kid once. The Dali Llama won't think any worse of you. Embrace it!
Anyway, back to "Paul's Boutique" and "Eggman"...I'll admit that I didn't get where they were going at first. I remember seeing the video for "Hey Ladies" and thinking, "Now hold on..."
Not that I didn't like it, because I did (and they were on the 70's retro tip way back before everyone else was , to their credit), but it did take some getting used to. And with this CD, it's so dense with samples and great production that you always are getting something new from it.
For example, "Eggman" starts with a Curtis Mayfield sample. Now, I'm not gonna lie and say I knew who he was back when I was 17, but this is what I mean by appreciating this CD more over time. The structure of this song (like many of their songs)is a traditional verse / chorus / verse, which I suspect had a lot to do with thier success among white audiences who unconsciously find that pleasing. The chorus would be the parts with the siren sound in the background with one of the Boys talking over it. (By the way, if anyone has a clue as to the lyrics or meaning of this song, please feel free to fill us in).
One part I love is the last time they sart the verse at 1:55 : "We - all - dressed in black". Something about how they are all rapping the same part pretty emphatically is cool (check it out in the live version below). They still have that same Beasties meter, though. It's in almost every damn song (One says a line and they all hit the last word / Over and over it gets quite ab-surd).
I also like the couple of Public Enemy shout outs (and given that this CD was in the late 80s, the golden years of rap, it would make sense) the "Boyeeee" at :50, a Flava Flav trademark and a clip from PE's "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" at 1:34 ("Now they got me in a cell"). It would take more room than I've already used to unearth all the other great samples in, so I'll just finish by saying that I like thier ending - the "Jaws"attack music. Go figure. Scary Eggman!
http://www.mediafire.com/?zhbgztuyl2n
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
"Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) / Def Leppard / Pyromania
Exclamation points and parenthesis all in the same title? Awesome! Let's go ahead and get this on the table now, and you can debate this in the comments if you wish: Is Def Leppard Hair Metal? I say, vehemently, no.
Consider that their first record came out in 1979 and that they are from Britain, which technically puts them in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal category. Now, I know they aren't as heavy as your Priest, Maiden or Motorhead (and they went really whimpy once they started in with Mutt freaking Lange producing), but back in the day they were a pretty great group, and you can't deny "Pyromania" is a flat out classic.
The first time I remember hearing about Def Leppard was in the early MTV days. Before we had the glorious cable hookup, I had to see glimpses of MTV here and there. One day at a friend's house, I caught the "Rock of Ages" video off the same album. I recall Joe Elliot walking through a dungeon with a big ass sword (which I think was the basic plot of every heavy metal video in the early 80's) and thinking..."Intriguing".
Joe Elliot gaining hit points (2:10 in)
Not long after, in middle school, when I would spend the night with my buddies, we would watch MTV's "Friday Night Video Fights", in which you called up and voted for your favotite video beteen a champion video and challenger. Let me tell you. Leppard's "Photograph" was an all timer, the Muhammad Ali of MTV's salad days. It won untold weekly "fights" until they finally had to put it into retirement. That was only a glimpse of what was to come for the band.
It only got bigger for them. As popular as "Pyromania" was, it was stll more or less a niche album. But when "Hysteria" came out in high school, it was a full blown phenomenon. Once the chicks with the big hair saw a cute singer in ripped jeans and "Awwwwed" at the one-armed drummer in the "Pour Some Sugar on Me" video, it was all over. And don't get me wrong, I was caught up in it too. I even went with some buddies to see them (with Queensryche!) on that HUGE Hysetria tour when it came to Atlanta. In high school, I can't remember a bigger mainstream rock band than Def Leppard, or a bigger album than "Hysteria". Then they took a long, long break and put out shit like "Let's Get Rocked", and that was it for them.
Back to this song - it's a great opener to "Pyromania" with it's invitation to "rock" until one "drops" (which they repeat close to 346 times in one way or another in the song). It really starts out with a slow little picked riff until someone (Steve Clark? Phil Collen?) rips in with a killer riff. Joe Elliot has a great growl to his voice in this song that mixes well with that riff that goes on throughout. There's also the patented multitracked Def Leppard harmonies in there, an absolute signature sound. Apparently these guys were supposed to be studio perfectionists and would record track after track and a million overdubs ubtil they got that thick sound. Nice breakdown on the bridge at 2:38. I've never noticed all the times I've heard this, but right at the end there, (at about 3:48) you can hear someone say "Too loud man, too loud" and it sounds just like Otto, the stoned bus driver from the Simpsons. Heh. And finally, I can't hear the end of this song without hearing the opening chords of "Photograph" in my head right after, because that's the song that follows it on the album.
I actually found a pretty great live verion of this from 1983. Seriously, solid ass band back then.
Here's the song, if you want it:
http://www.mediafire.com/?5izp21wmgzj
Consider that their first record came out in 1979 and that they are from Britain, which technically puts them in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal category. Now, I know they aren't as heavy as your Priest, Maiden or Motorhead (and they went really whimpy once they started in with Mutt freaking Lange producing), but back in the day they were a pretty great group, and you can't deny "Pyromania" is a flat out classic.
The first time I remember hearing about Def Leppard was in the early MTV days. Before we had the glorious cable hookup, I had to see glimpses of MTV here and there. One day at a friend's house, I caught the "Rock of Ages" video off the same album. I recall Joe Elliot walking through a dungeon with a big ass sword (which I think was the basic plot of every heavy metal video in the early 80's) and thinking..."Intriguing".
Joe Elliot gaining hit points (2:10 in)
Not long after, in middle school, when I would spend the night with my buddies, we would watch MTV's "Friday Night Video Fights", in which you called up and voted for your favotite video beteen a champion video and challenger. Let me tell you. Leppard's "Photograph" was an all timer, the Muhammad Ali of MTV's salad days. It won untold weekly "fights" until they finally had to put it into retirement. That was only a glimpse of what was to come for the band.
It only got bigger for them. As popular as "Pyromania" was, it was stll more or less a niche album. But when "Hysteria" came out in high school, it was a full blown phenomenon. Once the chicks with the big hair saw a cute singer in ripped jeans and "Awwwwed" at the one-armed drummer in the "Pour Some Sugar on Me" video, it was all over. And don't get me wrong, I was caught up in it too. I even went with some buddies to see them (with Queensryche!) on that HUGE Hysetria tour when it came to Atlanta. In high school, I can't remember a bigger mainstream rock band than Def Leppard, or a bigger album than "Hysteria". Then they took a long, long break and put out shit like "Let's Get Rocked", and that was it for them.
Back to this song - it's a great opener to "Pyromania" with it's invitation to "rock" until one "drops" (which they repeat close to 346 times in one way or another in the song). It really starts out with a slow little picked riff until someone (Steve Clark? Phil Collen?) rips in with a killer riff. Joe Elliot has a great growl to his voice in this song that mixes well with that riff that goes on throughout. There's also the patented multitracked Def Leppard harmonies in there, an absolute signature sound. Apparently these guys were supposed to be studio perfectionists and would record track after track and a million overdubs ubtil they got that thick sound. Nice breakdown on the bridge at 2:38. I've never noticed all the times I've heard this, but right at the end there, (at about 3:48) you can hear someone say "Too loud man, too loud" and it sounds just like Otto, the stoned bus driver from the Simpsons. Heh. And finally, I can't hear the end of this song without hearing the opening chords of "Photograph" in my head right after, because that's the song that follows it on the album.
I actually found a pretty great live verion of this from 1983. Seriously, solid ass band back then.
Here's the song, if you want it:
http://www.mediafire.com/?5izp21wmgzj
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
"Poison" / Bell Biv Devoe / The Millenium Collection
Anyone see this one coming? I didn't. I must have had a late night drunken nostalgia trip one night.
For a change, I'm going to try to approximate the style of Chuck Klosterman for this review, since I'm currently reading his latest book. If you get it, have fun with it. If not, well, this will make probably no sense. At all. (And , for the record, I love reading Klosterman, but his style is so easily satirized that I can't help but give it a shot)
For a change, I'm going to try to approximate the style of Chuck Klosterman for this review, since I'm currently reading his latest book. If you get it, have fun with it. If not, well, this will make probably no sense. At all. (And , for the record, I love reading Klosterman, but his style is so easily satirized that I can't help but give it a shot)
"You never trust a big butt and a smile"
Have truer words ever been spoken in the history of post-neo classical hip hop? If you recall, Bell Biv Devoe came from the remnants of early 80's teenybopper supergroup and NKOTB precursor New Edition (minus Johnny Gill, who was, at the time, rubbing women the right way and Bobby Brown(1), who with every little step was using his perrogative to find tender ronis. But I digress).
The thing about this song is that it is malleable enough that your perception of it informs not only your relationship with women, but also your inclination to appreciate Alice Cooper and hair metal.
You see, around the same time as this slice of R & B (2) came around, Alice Cooper was blazing a comeback with his own song called "Poison". Not to mention a few short years previous we had tthe debut album of uber hair metal band Poison, which continues to give so generously to pop culture through Brett Michaels "Rock of Love" today. How, one may ask, did the cultural Zeitgeist of late 80's early 90's pop music come to this? More than likely, it's the result of the complete dilillusionment of Reganomics and the sudden appearance of Fargo's own most desireable bacheorette, Gina Covington.(3)
ANYWAY, as most things do, it eventually comes back to KISS. The "Poison" of late 80's pop music has its direct antecedent to the "poison" that KISS was supposed to implant in the minds of us born between 1965 and 1980. In one sense, it means everything, and in another, it means nothing. You can see Ronnie Bivins as a "Rapper", or as a rapper, and either way, he'll never be as great a "rapper" as Steven Tyler was at one point.
So, indeed, never trust a big butt and a smile, gentlemen...
Just ask Kirby Puckett.
(1) owner and possible originator of the greatest black hairstyle ever, the Fade, or, as we called it in Minnesota, where there were no black people, "The Gumby"
(2) or, to be exact, "Hip Hop smoothed out on the R & B tip with a pop appeal"
(3) Gina Covington was the girlfrind of my nemesis Chris Fallows at Black Hills High School, our crosstown rival. Chris had not only the beginnings of what would be known as a "pornstache" (and this was way before ideas like "meta" and "ironic" ever reached North Dakota - if they ever have), but also a hell of a first step of the dribble and the hand of Gina, the Fargo girl who what the nost desireable in the uppermidwest in the glory years of 1983-1986.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
"Four Seasons in One Day" / Crowded House / The Very Best of Crowded House
A short, but really, really sweet little tune from Australia's Crowded House. You might remember them from such 80's songs as "Don't Dream It's Over" and "Something So Strong". I must say, in my case, that I'm not really a huge fan. Here I have to give credit to a couple of regular readers of this blog, d-rail and eric, who were on the Crowded House tip way back in high school. They are old-school, deep-cut "Woodface" type fans, and more power to 'em.
I have a great memory of this song, and it's the sole reason I purchased it on itunes. If there's any friend of mine who likes Crowded House more than Darrell or Eric, it's my buddy Stephen. In 2002, the mysterious Merk! and I went up to Chicago in the summer to visit the town with Stephen, a Chicago native. Being the fan he is, he wanted us to go see Neil Finn play at a small club in town. Of course, we tagged along.
Have you ever gone to see a show of a band or artist with whom you're not that familiar? It's a little stange sometimes, isn't it? I had fun there, drinking beer in the really great atmosphere of this intimate club, just digging some good mellow pop music, but not going crazy or anything like the diehards around me. Then, he played this song.
I distinctly remember the crowd going quiet in an instant, and this really beautiful white light pattern from a lit disco ball lazily twirling around the dark club (I really was only drinking beer, y'all). It's not often a song really resonates with you the first time you hear it, especially live, but I was really struck by the moment here. The best part of it all? At the instrumental break at 1:46, the entire audience began to sing it in perfect pitch and harmony, and for goodness sakes they divided up the parts! One group sang the instumental melody and the other sang the rhythm! That particular moment was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had at a show.
Some other fun parts of this song - right after the aforementioned instrumental break, Finn comes back in suddenly, almost as if he's too early (2:01). I also love how he establishes that classic melody right from the get go. Seventeen seconds in, you've got it all. I like the "Smiling as the shit comes down" line at :46, because it's so jarring and unexpected in the midst of a beautiful song like this. Always gets a smile from me. The harmonies in the chorus are great too, and of couse the English geek in me loves the "seasons / weather" metaphor which is carried throughout. And to top it off, the ending of the song's a little eerie, how it just trails off with only the vocals the last couple of seconds.
I found a more recent live version too.
I have a great memory of this song, and it's the sole reason I purchased it on itunes. If there's any friend of mine who likes Crowded House more than Darrell or Eric, it's my buddy Stephen. In 2002, the mysterious Merk! and I went up to Chicago in the summer to visit the town with Stephen, a Chicago native. Being the fan he is, he wanted us to go see Neil Finn play at a small club in town. Of course, we tagged along.
Have you ever gone to see a show of a band or artist with whom you're not that familiar? It's a little stange sometimes, isn't it? I had fun there, drinking beer in the really great atmosphere of this intimate club, just digging some good mellow pop music, but not going crazy or anything like the diehards around me. Then, he played this song.
I distinctly remember the crowd going quiet in an instant, and this really beautiful white light pattern from a lit disco ball lazily twirling around the dark club (I really was only drinking beer, y'all). It's not often a song really resonates with you the first time you hear it, especially live, but I was really struck by the moment here. The best part of it all? At the instrumental break at 1:46, the entire audience began to sing it in perfect pitch and harmony, and for goodness sakes they divided up the parts! One group sang the instumental melody and the other sang the rhythm! That particular moment was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had at a show.
Some other fun parts of this song - right after the aforementioned instrumental break, Finn comes back in suddenly, almost as if he's too early (2:01). I also love how he establishes that classic melody right from the get go. Seventeen seconds in, you've got it all. I like the "Smiling as the shit comes down" line at :46, because it's so jarring and unexpected in the midst of a beautiful song like this. Always gets a smile from me. The harmonies in the chorus are great too, and of couse the English geek in me loves the "seasons / weather" metaphor which is carried throughout. And to top it off, the ending of the song's a little eerie, how it just trails off with only the vocals the last couple of seconds.
I found a more recent live version too.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
"Sick Boys" / Social Distortion / Social Distortion
I'm guessing most everyone who may be reading this is familiar with Social Distortion. For a while there among a certain group of friends, they were, indeed, the greatest, coolest band in the world. I was never too crazy about them, but I've come to enjoy them more over the years. There's something to be appreciated about good, honest, no frills roots rock & roll.
Here's a good Social D story for you: In 1992, when they were on the "Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell" tour (their best album, in my novice opinion), a few of us went to see them at the Georgia Theatre. Did you know that not only tattooed rockabilly fans follow this band, but also large, violent, frightening skinheads? I didn't.
Anyway, there was a pit (the good kind, the kind that actually went in a circle and had guys standing in the center) and my buddy Trey started pushing and shoving with a HUGE skinhead. Seeing trouble ahead, I grabbed Trey from behind to stop him from fighting. Trouble was, I also pinned his arms against his sides. The skinhead measured his reach, set his feet and popped Trey with two quick punches which, thanks to me, he took fully undefended.
Cut to Trey leaning over the sink in the bathroom of the Theatre, me beside him apologizing profusely while he spits blood into the sink yelling, "THANKS A FUCKING LOT!".
Things smoothed over with more beer and a trip to The Grill, where we saw Mike Ness who was paying for his food at the same time we were. I told him, "Nice show", cause I'm cool like that, and he gave me the old head nod. He sure looks rad with all his tattoos and Dickies and his Les Paul, but he's really short. That was disappointing.
Oh, the song, you say? I believe "Sick Boys" is an overall nickname for the rockabilly dudes and their ilk. The Sick Boys apparently carry knives, get in fights, ride big motorbikes, have tattoos (really?), do their hair just right, drink with...other Sick Boys, and "Oh-way-Ohhh". Shit, what do you want from me? It's a Social Distortion song. We're not talking about virtuosity or complexity here. In fact, the chord progression you get in the first four seconds is literally what you get the whole...damn...song. No real chorus, no bridge, just 1-4-5. It is what it is, and sometimes that's just fine.
Here's a good Social D story for you: In 1992, when they were on the "Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell" tour (their best album, in my novice opinion), a few of us went to see them at the Georgia Theatre. Did you know that not only tattooed rockabilly fans follow this band, but also large, violent, frightening skinheads? I didn't.
Anyway, there was a pit (the good kind, the kind that actually went in a circle and had guys standing in the center) and my buddy Trey started pushing and shoving with a HUGE skinhead. Seeing trouble ahead, I grabbed Trey from behind to stop him from fighting. Trouble was, I also pinned his arms against his sides. The skinhead measured his reach, set his feet and popped Trey with two quick punches which, thanks to me, he took fully undefended.
Cut to Trey leaning over the sink in the bathroom of the Theatre, me beside him apologizing profusely while he spits blood into the sink yelling, "THANKS A FUCKING LOT!".
Things smoothed over with more beer and a trip to The Grill, where we saw Mike Ness who was paying for his food at the same time we were. I told him, "Nice show", cause I'm cool like that, and he gave me the old head nod. He sure looks rad with all his tattoos and Dickies and his Les Paul, but he's really short. That was disappointing.
Oh, the song, you say? I believe "Sick Boys" is an overall nickname for the rockabilly dudes and their ilk. The Sick Boys apparently carry knives, get in fights, ride big motorbikes, have tattoos (really?), do their hair just right, drink with...other Sick Boys, and "Oh-way-Ohhh". Shit, what do you want from me? It's a Social Distortion song. We're not talking about virtuosity or complexity here. In fact, the chord progression you get in the first four seconds is literally what you get the whole...damn...song. No real chorus, no bridge, just 1-4-5. It is what it is, and sometimes that's just fine.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
"Galang" / M.I.A. / Arular
Yeah, I know, I'm the millionth lame white boy to get down with M.I.A.
So, sue me. I love this CD, and her new one's great too. I bought the frekkin' hype - all of it.
This is one of those CDs that I heard / read about everywhere back in 2005. Every now and then that will happen. I'll hear so much about a new artist or album that I'll finally say "Enough!" and just buy the damned thing to see what the fuss is. More often than not, I'm glad I did.
M.I.A, in my opinion, is the consummate artist of the late '00s. Her amalgam of hip-hop, house, drum & bass, Baile, electronica, and damn near anything else is a reflection of our increasingly globalized / ipod shuffled world. Not to mention she's a mashup herself : Born in London, raised in Sri Lanka and L.A. , she's got it all (not to mention....smokin' hot. That helps too).
This song was the first single off of her debut album, and it's a great one. There's much better stuff on the CD, though, if you're into this kind of thing.
Some of my favorite parts: overall, I like how the song starts with a simple beat, then as it goes on builds with layer upon layer of bloops, blips, backbeats and squeaks until it's as dense as an old Bomb Squad production. I especially love those electric squawks that come in right on the beat about :50 into the song which last more or less for its duration. It's cool how I can't tell what she's saying, either (I catch "London calling, speak the slang", but that's about it. Oh, and "Too late you dooown"). It's almost as if the vocal is really not intended to be heard, but is just another instrument in the whole cacophany. And my favorite part - when the song cuts for the briefest of moments at 2:29, then she comes back with that loud "Ya-Ya-Heeey" chant to finish the song. Awesome.
I'm sure that haters are gonna have a field day in the comments section here, so go for it. At least you can enjoy the video on a visceral level, though:
So, sue me. I love this CD, and her new one's great too. I bought the frekkin' hype - all of it.
This is one of those CDs that I heard / read about everywhere back in 2005. Every now and then that will happen. I'll hear so much about a new artist or album that I'll finally say "Enough!" and just buy the damned thing to see what the fuss is. More often than not, I'm glad I did.
M.I.A, in my opinion, is the consummate artist of the late '00s. Her amalgam of hip-hop, house, drum & bass, Baile, electronica, and damn near anything else is a reflection of our increasingly globalized / ipod shuffled world. Not to mention she's a mashup herself : Born in London, raised in Sri Lanka and L.A. , she's got it all (not to mention....smokin' hot. That helps too).
This song was the first single off of her debut album, and it's a great one. There's much better stuff on the CD, though, if you're into this kind of thing.
Some of my favorite parts: overall, I like how the song starts with a simple beat, then as it goes on builds with layer upon layer of bloops, blips, backbeats and squeaks until it's as dense as an old Bomb Squad production. I especially love those electric squawks that come in right on the beat about :50 into the song which last more or less for its duration. It's cool how I can't tell what she's saying, either (I catch "London calling, speak the slang", but that's about it. Oh, and "Too late you dooown"). It's almost as if the vocal is really not intended to be heard, but is just another instrument in the whole cacophany. And my favorite part - when the song cuts for the briefest of moments at 2:29, then she comes back with that loud "Ya-Ya-Heeey" chant to finish the song. Awesome.
I'm sure that haters are gonna have a field day in the comments section here, so go for it. At least you can enjoy the video on a visceral level, though:
Sunday, January 6, 2008
"3rd of July" / The Jody Grind / Lefty's Deceiver
The Jody Grind was a local band from Athens that became popular in the late 80's / early 90's. They were really a showcase for the incredible talent of their lead singer, Kelly Hogan. Incidentally, Hogan put out a couple of solo records (also great) and eventually moved to Chicago. I found a pleasant surprise when I bought Neko Case's solo record last year and found Ms. Hogan contributing vocals on that record. Neko Case and Kelly Hogan singing together is an absolute embarrassment of riches for any CD. Here's a bonus for you - Case and Hogan performing "Star Witness", the best song off Neko Case's last CD. It's a crappy video done by a fan, but sure enough, that's Kelly Hogan there on stage left. (Damn, if you don't get chills when they harmonize on the chorus of this song @1:30ish, you suck at life.)
The Jody Grind was really my first foray into local music, I guess. As a senior in high school, I was aware that REM / B-52s / Pylon / Guadalcanal Diary were from my town (hell, if you grow up here, it's practically implanted into your DNA at some point), but never noticed much beyond that. One day, my buddy Jake and I went to an old club in downtown Athens called "The Downstairs" (where DT's Down Under is now) to see his guitar teacher play a set with his band (we went primarily because the Downstairs let in underage folks, actually).
Opening for his jazz group was The Jody Grind, in one of their first Athens performaces. When Kelly Hogan opened her mouth and filled up that small space, I had never heard anything like that in person. This song doesn't really do her justice. I became hooked after that and showed up to see them play whenever I could. The group specialized in barebones jazz, swing, period, country stuff, and seemed destined for big things.
Then, in 1993 (I might have the year wrong), their touring van had a wreck and killed the bassist and drummer. The Jody Grind was no more, but as mentioned earlier, at least Kelly Hogan carried on her career.
This song is from "Lefty's Deceiver", their second (and final) CD. As you can tell, it has that mellow shuffle / swing thing going, with the nice little fills from thier guitarist....ah, I can't remember his name. There are some nice images in here, one I ofen think about is at 1:25 (the start of the second verse) "Hand in hand we would have sat on the hood of my car / underneath the flash of flames, the rockets and the stars". That's good stuff, especially how she delivers it.
Speaking of delivery, you get a hint of her range when she goes to a higher key around 2:05 ("Needed you for all time"). I also like, as an English teacher, how the lyrics are in the future conditional ("We would have..."), 'cause if you didn't notice at the beginning, her man went back to his old lover. Sigh.
Check this song out and look up some Kelly Hogan solo stuff too. You won't be disappointed.
http://www.mediafire.com/?4yhmn4qqr21
The Jody Grind was really my first foray into local music, I guess. As a senior in high school, I was aware that REM / B-52s / Pylon / Guadalcanal Diary were from my town (hell, if you grow up here, it's practically implanted into your DNA at some point), but never noticed much beyond that. One day, my buddy Jake and I went to an old club in downtown Athens called "The Downstairs" (where DT's Down Under is now) to see his guitar teacher play a set with his band (we went primarily because the Downstairs let in underage folks, actually).
Opening for his jazz group was The Jody Grind, in one of their first Athens performaces. When Kelly Hogan opened her mouth and filled up that small space, I had never heard anything like that in person. This song doesn't really do her justice. I became hooked after that and showed up to see them play whenever I could. The group specialized in barebones jazz, swing, period, country stuff, and seemed destined for big things.
Then, in 1993 (I might have the year wrong), their touring van had a wreck and killed the bassist and drummer. The Jody Grind was no more, but as mentioned earlier, at least Kelly Hogan carried on her career.
This song is from "Lefty's Deceiver", their second (and final) CD. As you can tell, it has that mellow shuffle / swing thing going, with the nice little fills from thier guitarist....ah, I can't remember his name. There are some nice images in here, one I ofen think about is at 1:25 (the start of the second verse) "Hand in hand we would have sat on the hood of my car / underneath the flash of flames, the rockets and the stars". That's good stuff, especially how she delivers it.
Speaking of delivery, you get a hint of her range when she goes to a higher key around 2:05 ("Needed you for all time"). I also like, as an English teacher, how the lyrics are in the future conditional ("We would have..."), 'cause if you didn't notice at the beginning, her man went back to his old lover. Sigh.
Check this song out and look up some Kelly Hogan solo stuff too. You won't be disappointed.
http://www.mediafire.com/?4yhmn4qqr21
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