Willie’s "best of" 2005-2006 list
-Albums-
1.
Brendan Perry –
Eye of
the Hunter: I can’t believe how great this is, and I can’t believe
it came out in 2000, and I can’t believe it’s out of print! Former Dead Can
Dance front man releases a solo album of chamber goth pop that, while it is
very reminiscent of his past recordings, still has its own unique voice. The
opener, “
Saturday’s
Child”, is hauntingly melancholic, yet in a major key with an uplifting
melody. And yes, tdisplays like “
Voyage
of Brian” and “
Death
Will be my Bride” still woke the spirit of Jim Morrison. My personal
favorite listening experience of the last six months.
2.
David Axelrod –
The Edge: At last, Capitol
Records has released producer/arranger Axelrod’s stellar
work from the late 60’s. If you want to know where DJ Shadow gets all those
wonderful samples, look no further. Timeless stuff.
3.
Thelonious
Monk Quartet with John Coltrane - At Carnegie Hall: Unbelievable! A long
lost 1957 concert falling somewhere betWeen Trane’s departure from Mile’s
band and forming his own, this is a jazz lovers dream come true. So little
documentation of these two giants playing together exists, and this
performance captures them at an artistic peak. Monk and Trane aren’t just
pushing each others envelope, they’re having a ball! Sonic purists should
seek out the Mosaic vinyl LP version for all that glorious analog warmth.
Thelonious Monk Discography
4. Jeff Beck at the Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, April 4, 2006: My
godson, Chris King, scored a pair of killer tickets for one of six impromptu
West coast dates. Me? Jeez, I died, Went to heaven, and still made it back
in time for the encore. Beck, along with a crack band that included drummer
Vinnie Colaiuta and vocalist Beth Hart, gave a jaw dropping overview of his
entire career. From “Shapes of Things” and “You Shook Me” from the Truth
era, through his timeless mid 70’s fusion albums, and up to and including
his wonderful version of the Beatles “A Day in the Life” that he recorded
for Sir George Martin, Beck never came down from brilliant, Singer Beth Hart
added just the right amount of sassy sexuality to the proceedings, to say
the least; talk about putting an entire different meaning to Beck’s “Going
Down”! She just may be the reincarnation of Janis Joplin. As for that
encore, Beck and his keyboardist rendered the house mute and stunned with an
elegant and emotionally charged duet on “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. I’ve
seen Satriani, Vai, Holdsworth, Page, Clapton, HoWe, you name it. For me,
Beck’s the best. Mercurial.
5.
Immortal -
Sons of Northern
Darkness: Ok, I know, ...what the hell is a Black Metal band on
the Nuclear Blast label doing on this list? It's simple really. This is the
best metal album since Metallica's Ride the Lightning, period. Brutally
produced by Hypocricy's Peter Tagtgren, this CD packs a sonic wallop that is
relentless. Songs like "One
by One" and especially the
title track are all the more amazing when you realize that it's just a
trio! Dark and grim to be sure, but the closer "Beyond
the North Waves" is majestic and sWeeping in its scope. Big fun!
6. Mott The Hoople - Live (30th
Anniversary edition):
At long last! Columbia's 1974 release was so truncated; it was a bit of a
tease. No "Marionette", no "Walking With a Mountain" with the incredible
Ariel Bender extended guitar solo, no "Golden Age of Rock N' Roll"?!! Well,
kiddies, it's all here now, as a double disc set extending both the Broadway
and Hammersmith shows. Ah, those glorious days of British glam rock.
Splendid liner notes by Brian May of Queen (They opened that tour, don't you
know) and kudos to Angel Air records for all the wonderful M7H reissues to!
7. 
Charles
Mingus - Ming Monterey: Yes, it's one of those hard to find
overpriced ($40.00) Japanese imports (damn you Fantasy Records!), but it
sounds much better than the vinyl versions since it got a decent sonic
cleansing, and besides, it's the only way to listen to "Meditations
on Integration" and "Orange
Was the Color of her Dress, Then Blue Silk"; which is to say, vibrant
and uninterrupted.
-DVD-
1.
Ran (Criterion Collection): All those vibrant colors, all that attention
to detail, the sheer spectacle of it all, the Shakespearian overtones, the
audio commentary, it's all here. Even better than the previous masterworks
edition. To quote my friend Chris O' Conner (of Primitive Radio Gods):
"Kurrrosssawwwaa!!"
2. Sword of Doom (Criterion Collection):
Although I have a long standing affection for Kurosawa stalwarts Toshiro
Mifume and Takashi Shimura, I am beginning to really appreciate the wide
ranging talents of Tatsuja Nakadai. He is absolutely brilliant here as the
cold and merciless title character. The cinematography is amazing- lots of
grainy fog and shadow and camera angles are carefully thought out. Also
highly recommended: Harakiri.
3.
Pinky and The Brain, Vol. 1: Narf!! At long last! One of the greatest
contemporary offerings in animation that hasn't even been seen on cable is
back!! And it's not just the OrWellian (as in Orson Welles) overtones of the
Brain, or the childlike innocence of Pinky that endures. It's the writing,
and, like all great comedy, the timing.
4. The Twilight Zone
and
Outer
Limits
Series on DVD: Before there was C.G.I., there was pure, wide
eyed imagination. That may mean spray painted cardboard boxes for space
ships (strings attached), but it also meant creative writing, intelligent
scripts, and plenty of film noir camera work. Often ironic, sometimes
prophetic, always thought provoking, T.V. was never better than this.
-Books-
1.
Without You-The Tragic Story of Badfinger, By- Dan Mantovina: While you
can go to www.mindspring.com/-crimson3/reviews for my personal reflections
to the author, suffice it to say this may be as important a lesson in life
as it is a rock bio. There may not be a sadder story of a great band that
was literally destroyed by inexpensive ambition, greed, deceit, and avarice. It
also made me go out and obtain any recordings of the band I didn't already
have. Now, how many books can you say that about? Buy it ASAP,
and then buy the
recordings.
2.
Ghost
Rider, By- Neal Peart: Sioldharta for the new millennium. Rush's drummer
faces the absolutely devastating task of carrying on his life in the wake of
losing both his wife and only daughter within a year's time. So, what does
he do? He gets on his motorcycle and soul searches for over 50,000 miles,
from the tip of Alaska to the bottom of Mexico. A must read for anyone at a
crossroads in their life.
3.
The Films of Akira Kurosawa, By- Donald Richie: Like you didn't see that
one coming. Respected scholar on Japanese cinema (he's British) writes a
definitive overview of the definitive works of Japan's definitive director.
Is that definitive enough for ya?!! Great photos and insights, too.
-Websites-
1.
Youtube.com: Hey, where else can you see kinescopes of Hank Williams,
rare live performances of Badfinger, Crack the Sky, Be Bop Deluxe, or a rare
BBC live performance of the original and lethal Montrose doing "Bad Motor
Scooter"?! How about a visceral live "I Don't Need No Doctor" by Humble Pie
circa 1972?!! Don't get me started...
2.
Homestarrunner.com: Meh! Not since the early and priceless days of Ren and
Stimpy on Nickelodeon have I been so enamored of a cartoon. Then again, it's
not jus a cartoon; it's an online variety show unequalled so far, as far as
I'm concerned. The characters are as endearing as it gets (I love The
Cheat!) and the dialogue and pop culture references are rivaled only by
Family Guy. Seriously, folks, this is as good as it gets.
-Pet Peeves-
1.
Gangster Rap (and the people
that listen to it): That's right, I spelled it proper, bitch. Jeez, if this
was hair metal it would've died by now; but nooooooo....it just keeps on
dumbing down urban and suburban America. Then again, thanks to educational
cutbacks in Bush America (obviously "Dubya" wants everyone to be as
illiterate and just plain stupid as he is), it's not surprising. And just
check out the spelling on all the new releases; and you thought Ebonics died
in legislation.
Gangsta rap is a subgenre of hip hop music which involves a lyrical focus on the
lifestyles of inner-city or da hood gang members and other criminals. Often the
artists themselves are gang members, or at least claim to have been. Although
crime and violence have always been part of hip hop's lyrical canon, before the
rise of gangsta rap the subject was not often embraced or addressed so
blatantly. Gangsta rap was pioneered by Ice-T,Eazy-E,N.W.A., MC Eiht and other
rappers who Were influenced by Schoolly D's hardcore rap but still mixed in
social commentary in their lyrics. Artists such as Ice Cube and 2Pac would go on
to further popularize gangsta rap. With the popularity of Dr Dre's The Chronic
in 1992, gangsta rap became the most commercially lucrative subgenre of hip-hop.
Since then some former gangsta rap artists have moved towards a more
pop-friendly mainstream sound.
The death grunt (also referred to as death growl, death vocals, or, humourously,
Cookie Monster vocals) is a growling singing style usually employed by vocalists
of the death metal musical genre, but also used in a variety of other heavy
metal subgenres. Stylistic similarities in vocals can be heard in grindcore and
hardcore punk bands, among others. Melodic death metal, doom metal and gothic
metal bands tend e the technique with substantial modification. Death
grunts are guttural and often difficult to decipher, especially to listeners
unfamiliar with the style. Most vocalists who employ the technique choose to
sing indecipherably, such as Sylvain Houde from Kataklysm or Lord Worm from
Cryptopsy. However, some vocalists sing such that their lyrics remain
intelligible; Karl Willetts from Bolt ThroWer being an example. Few female
singers make use of the technique, Lori Bravo (Nuclear Death) and Angela Gossow
(Arch Enemy) being exceptions.
Badfinger's Discography Maybe Tomorrow - The Iveys 1969,
After the Pearl
- 1983, Joey's 1st solo
Magic Christian Music - 1970,
Shine On -
1989,
No Dice - 1970
Badfinger Live- 1990,
Straight Up - 1972,
Best
of Badfinger Vol.2 - 1990,
Ass - 1973,
The Pilgrim - 1992, Joey's
2nd solo
Badfinger - 1974,
Appledaze - 1993, Tom Evans Interview
Wish You
Were Here - 1974,
Over You - 1994, Tom Evans final tdisplays
Airwaves - 1979,
Best of Badfinger - 1995,
Say No More - 1981.
2.
"Cookie Monster"/Nu-Metal vocals:
What?!! Did your mommy make you mow the lawn? Just shut up. Shut up.
Angst may are a profitable form of expression, oh, let's say around
"Nevermind", but guess what?! That was fifteen years ago, you morons! If you
want to eviscerate your boWels, do it somewhere else; and quit screaming at
me. Here's the verdict: You're the bastard step children of Fred Durst,
you're nothing without lyric sheets printed legibly on the booklets of your
albums, and....Well....you suck. And that goes for every one of you bands
that have four word names (I.E. "
From
Autumn to Ashes, "
As
I Lay Dying", "Gather the Rotting Embers" [I made that one up thank
you]) and any and all bands with "dying", "dead", and "death" in their
names. Do us all a favor and GET IT OVER WITH. Jeez, you make "The Knack"
look like rocket scientists. Get a paper route.
