The Friday Five: July 13, 2012

Here’s my Five from a Friday the 13th-themed playlist based on fear and superstition.

John Davis – “Scared of What I Might Find” (Arigato!, 2007)
Arigato! is the second solo release from Superdrag frontman John Davis that he released during the band’s reunion tour. Being sonically more similar to Davis’ former (now current) band than his eponymous 2005 solo debut, Superdrag regularly plays several cuts from the album during its performances. This is definitely something worth checking out if you’re a fan of Superdrag or power-pop influenced indie rock.

Tesla – “I Ain’t Superstitious” (Psychotic Supper, 1991)
I didn’t like it when Megadeth covered this Willie Dixon blues number in 1986, I didn’t like it when Tesla took their shot at it for the bonus tracks on the otherwise excellent Psychotic Supper in ’91, and I still don’t like it today. So there.

Superdrag – “Filthy and Afraid” (2008 Roughs)
Speaking of John Davis and Superdrag, here’s a demo of a song that ended up on their 2009 reunion release Industry Giants. Sounds pretty good for a demo. Check out this live studio version at Lake Fever.

Ty Tabor – “Afraid” (Rock Garden, 2006)
I’m a huge Ty Tabor and King’s X fan, so I’m naturally biased and have very little to find fault with. Ty’s solo work is a little different from what he does in the confines of King’s X, having seemingly stepped back a bit to allow Doug Pinnick more artistic control in the past decade or so. Contrary to what you would think, Ty’s solo albums are more song-based and less wankery for a guitarist of his caliber.

King’s X – “When You’re Scared” (Please Come Home…Mr. Bulbous, 2000)
Less experimental than its follow-up Manic Moonlight, PCHMB saw King’s X stretch its sound a bit and move in a darker direction lyrically, and it remains a grossly overlooked album from this criminally underrated band.

Entirely random this week.

Start with a little soundtrack music — Zbigniew Preisner’s “Bolero” theme for Kyzysztof Kieslowski’s Red. This is an abbreviated strings-and-voices version that’s actually on the soundtrack album for the related film Blue. Preisner is a gaddam genius, is what he is,

Next up is “The Bridge,” by Cactus World News — generous-hearted, open-throated eighties Irish Big music. Wonderful stuff — there was more to these guys than just “Years Later,” and I might be writing about ‘em for a super-secret all-staff project that’s in the works.

“Welcome back,” by John Sebastian, a.k.a. the theme to Welcome Back, Kotter. Speaking of staff projects: this one’s on my iPod for a future installment of AM GOLD, so I’ll hold my comments ’til then.

“Rich Woman,” Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, from Raising Sand. What I love about this record is how it manages to be both nostalgic and deeply creepy — forefronting all the uneasy subtexts of those blues and country songs, all the sonic weirdness that put the shiver up your spine when you first heard Muddy Waters.

And, uh, “The Politics of Dancing,” by Re-Flex. Yes, I’m an eighties kid. And yes, this is still a stone motherfucking jam. Now where did I leave my rollerskates…?

Here we go.
“If You Want Me” – Marketa Irglová and Glen Hansard, Once soundtrack
One of my favourite songs from the wonderful movie.
“Wait For Me” – Daryl Hall & John Oates, Do What You Want Be Who You Are

Until I got this box set, I was only familiar with the live version on Rock & Soul Part 1. While that original best of album is still my go to Hall & Oates, Daryl’s ad-libing and vamping at the end of track have always gotten on my nerves. As a result, I’ve never bothered to see Hall & Oates live because every live recording I have irks me the same way.
“Ashes To Ashes” – Tears For Fears, Popdose Coverage
Another week with a track I got from Popdose. Thanks Dw. This cover sounds so much like the original to me, it’s only part way in when Roland Orzabal’s voice comes a little more to the front of the mix that I know it’s not Bowie.
“School Girl” – Dennis Wilson, Pacific Ocean Blue
I love the Beach Boys. I love a lot of the Dennis songs from the 70′s albums that I know. So why does this album leave me so cold? I recently loaded it into iTunes to give it another try, but still very little of it is grabbing me.
“Leo Need A New Pair of Shoes” – Ben Frost, By The Throat
Dark, creepy and yet kind of beautiful ambient music. Whenever tracks from this album come up at work, someone will inevitably be by my desk and cast an odd look toward my speakers. That just makes me like it more. Plus the title is a Twin Peaks quote, so it’s got that going for it too.

Ratt “The Morning After” (a gift from Popdose – thank you). If AmazonMP3′s $2.99 genre-themed album blowout goes hair metal any time soon, I am loading up on more Ratt.

Girls Aloud “Mixed Up” – one of the best pop albums of the last decade, Tangled Up, gets boiled down into single-track 32-minute concentrate form.

Amy Winehouse “Love is a Losing Game” Hove Festival 2007 – oh hove good she sounded before the slurring and wandering took over her sets in late 2008 onward…

Royksopp “Tricky Tricky” While Robyn and Lykke Li also lend their vocals to the upbeat “Junior” album, Karin Dreijer-Andersson does the honors here – a club thumpin’ bass-heavy track.

Ultramagentic MC’s v. Flaming Lips “Flaming Throwdown” – not sure of either song mashed here, but together this sounds like ultra premium Public Enemy.

Grinding out some admin work at the office, so here’s my working man’s Five:

1. “Hotter Than Hell” by KISS, title track to their second album, this one from their big box set. The band of my youth. I prefer the version on Alive!

2. “The Road” by Everything But The Girl from The Language of Life. From glam metal to jazz pop, that’s how it rolls

3. “Cruel To Be Kind” by Wilco featuring Nick Lowe from the Wilco iTunes Session. Had the distinct pleasure of seeing Nick open for Wilco last year. There’s a free iBook documenting Wilco’s stand in Chicago last year that included videos with Nick and Mavis Staples. Did I mention it’s, you know, FREE?

4. “Axman” by Robbie Robertson from How to Become Clairvoyant. This record was one of the more disappointing releases of last year. It reminded me of Clapton’s recent releases – good technically, but pretty much soulless. This track might be exhibit A – it name checks just about any blues guitarist you’ve ever heard of and features Tom Morello but it’s sterile and completely lacking in any kind of fire.

5. “Feel U Up” by Prince fromo The Hits/The B sides. Now, here’s some soul. Originally recorded in ’81 then again in ’86 – it didn’t see the light of day until the B side of the Batman track “Partyman”
Alright, gotta wrap it up and get along out of here. Hop you hear something great this weekend!

> Ratt “The Morning After”

I love those first two Ratt releases. For whatever reason they were never able to recapture the magic on subsequent albums.

absolutely – isn’t that why the went with the demo versions of the tracks from their debut album on the box set?

Howdy!!

1) Army Of Me by Bjork: Love her first two solo albums, have tried hard to like everything since. Unfortunately, all my trying has been in vain.

2) Funkadelic Relic by LL Cool J: From 1993′s unfairly maligned “14 Shots to The Dome.” Basically, LL’s life story up to that point. Cool J, what happened?

3) A Girl Like You by Edwyn Collins: Shagadelic before there was an Austin Powers.

4) Home Again by Michael Kiwanuka: His CD comes out in the U.S. on Tuesday. BUY IT.

5) Conventioneers by Barenaked Ladies: Come back, Steven Page. All is forgiven.

The remix record that came out after Post—Telegram, I think—was also excellent, but I’m with you otherwise.

“Banditos!” Damn, it has been too long since I’ve heard that song.

I watched the documentary on The Swell Season last night, it’s fascinating to hear them tell the tale of how it came about, and heart breaking to watch them fall apart.

Thought I was the only one who remembered KBC Band. Not as good as Jefferson Starship, but not as bad as Starship.