489. The Flaming Lips

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(April 2023) Episode 489 is THE FLAMING LIPS, the durable indie/alt band out of Oklahoma that constantly reinvents itself led by the creative weirdness of Wayne Coyne. Their initial sound was very much 80s college radio, evolving into fuzzy guitar-driven psychedelic music, when they got their 15 minutes of pop fame through MTV’s play of “She Don’t Use Jelly” and a guest appearance at the Peach Pit on 90210. Starting in 1999, though, they shelved the guitars in favor of synths, creating a lush and heavily-processed sound, which bored me.  Coyne’s weak voice, while fitting on some songs, is a liability in the heavier tunes, although this is “fixed” by the later processing, for better or worse.  Kudos to them for recording (with mixed success) reinventions of Dark Side of the Moon and Sgt. Pepper’s, a quadrophonic experiment, several concept albums, and even a Christmas disc.

Favorite album: In a Priest Driven Ambulance

Favorite song: Unconsciously Screamin’

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: the four early 1990s albums (from “Priest” to “Clouds”)

488. High on Fire

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(April 2023) Episode 488 is HIGH ON FIRE. After the demise of Sleep (Episode 454), Matt Pike continued the low and thick sonic assault with High on Fire, at least initially, but with a more aggressive bass and drum. Over time their sound morphed into a more conventional thrashy metal sound.  It’s not bad, but I still prefer the purer stoner metal sound of their earlier albums.

Favorite album: The Art of Self Defense

Favorite song: Blessed Black Wings

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: the stoner metal goodness of their first three albums (The Art of Self Defense, Surrounded by Thieves, Blessed Black Wings)

487. Youssou N’Dour

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(April 2023) Episode 487 is YOUSSOU N’DOUR. Senegal’s biggest musical star, he is known for popularizing the genre known as “mbalax” that fused indigenous drumming with wider Western and Afro-pop elements.  You probably know him from his collaboration on Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” which put him on the international scene.  I kinda prefer the raw authenticity of his early cassette recordings, although he has recorded many fine albums in the studio (as well as some pop-oriented duds).  

Favorite album: Rokku Mi Rokka

Favorite crossover album: Egypt

Favorite song: Birima

Favorite crossover song: Touba Dar Es Salaam

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: it’s happy mood music, so it works in the background or the foreground, or to dance to

486. Flower Travellin’ Band

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(April 2023) Episode 486 is FLOWER TRAVELLIN’ BAND, an excellent Japanese psychedelic group from the late 60s/early 70s. They started out as a female-fronted band doing covers of UK and US rock songs (something my parents told me they heard a lot of when they visited Tokyo in the 60s) including, ambitiously, 21st Century Schizoid Man, but were mostly notable for two album covers in which all band members were naked.  They followed with three great psychedelic albums with tinges of prog and proto-metal.  It’s like a mix of Cream, King Crimson, Iron Butterfly and Rush’s first album, but FTB owned their own sound, which influenced others.

Favorite album: Satori

Favorite song: Satori II

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: highly recommend Satori, Made in Japan, and Make Up

485. Thelonious Monk

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(April 2023) Episode 485 is THELONIOUS MONK, a monumental figure in the history of jazz.  I concede that I can’t match the depth of appreciation that jazz-o-philes have for his work, but I appreciate the percussive, rhythmic and dissonant innovations that made him a giant on the piano.  He penned so many standards (such as ‘Round Midnight, Straight No Chaser, Well You Needn’t).  It’s classic jazz, but I find it neither challenges me nor provides much of an emotional resonance. 

Favorite album: Monk’s Dream

Favorite late-period album (and great album cover): Underground

Favorite song: Nutty

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: you can’t really go wrong picking out any of his albums out of a hat, although the jazz connoisseurs will have their favorites

484. Lynyrd Skynyrd

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(April 2023) Episode 484 is LYNYRD SKYNYRD, begun after the death of founder Gary Rossington.  I do love me some southern rock.  They came out of the gate with songs ready-made for classic rock radio where they dominated and presumably still do.  Catchy, but lacking the soulfulness of the Allman Brothers, the gold standard of the genre. The plane crash survivors reunited years later to put out nine albums of bland material, resembling a bar band with a famous name, and cultivating an image with Confederate flags and titles like “God and Guns.” I try to separate the art from the artist, but eww.

Favorite album: (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd)

Favorite song: Freebird

Compared to expectations: ↓

Recommendation: just wait for their turn on a classic rock station

483. Monster Magnet

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(March 2023) Episode 483 of the “opus project” is MONSTER MAGNET. I didn’t know exactly what I was expected, but overall what I got what less than that. However, the first three albums are a fantastic run of space rock, a mix of Hawkwind, Spaceman 3 and Alice in Chains. But in the mid-90s they dispensed with the fun insanity and switched (sold out?) to a more radio/music video friendly hard rock sound, which bored me for seven albums.  Their most recent two albums mark somewhat of a return to the spacey sound.

Favorite album: Spine of God

Favorite song: Black Mastermind

Best freakout dirge: Tab

Compared to expectations: ↓

Recommendation: the first three albums: Spine of God, Superjudge, Tab (technically an EP)

482. Waylon Jennings

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(March 2023) Episode 482 is WAYLON JENNINGS, arguably the most iconic figure in Outlaw Country, one of the least unpalatable subgenres of country music.  His dirt-encrusted baritone is all-American and one of the most recognizable, if not widely imitated, voices in country.  He recorded prolifically, including numerous collaborations (most famously with Willie Nelson), soundtrack and theme songs (“Dukes of Hazzard”).  On side comment: covering songs is a staple of country recording artists, especially of each other. Occasionally they extend to pop and rock. I found Waylon’s covers of beyond-genre songs particularly cringy, with examples listed below. 

Favorite album: Lonesome, On’ry and Mean

Favorite song: Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: A sampler will do for the casual listener. The early 70s albums are the peak of his outlaw output, but the late 60s recordings are good too.

Cringy covers: MacArthur Park (Richard Harris), Do It Again (Steely Dan), Norwegian Wood and You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away (The Beatles), Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac), Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty), Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond), I’m on Fire (Bruce Springsteen), Hold On! I’m Comin (Sam and Dave)

281. Wire

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(March 2023) Episode 481 is WIRE. Pink Flag (1977), their minimalist first album, identified them as a punk act, but they were more arthouse than mosh pit. Along with their next two excellent albums, Wire proved quite influential for post-punk and new wave. Except for breaks in the 1980s and 1990s, Wire has had consistent output, constantly self-reinventing among various pop/rock flavors. While admirable, I don’t see myself returning to any of the post-1987 albums, unlike the first three to which I definitely will.

Favourite album: Chairs Missing

Favourite song: Practice Makes Perfect

Favourite later album: Send (2003)

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: the first three albums

480. Gong Gong Gong 工工工

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(MArh 2023) Episode 480 is GONG GONG GONG 工工工. This is a Beijing-based duo (one from Hong Kong, one from Canada) who turn amplified busking into a surprisingly mesmerizing distorted groove.  Inversely, the guitar keeps the rhythm while the bass does the melodic work, with occasional vocals that give a regional flavor, done in Chinese (I can’t tell if it’s Mandarin or Cantonese) in the pentatonic style. It’s primitive but it captures you  – that’s the essence of rock n’ roll, right?

Favorite album: Phantom Rhythm 幽靈節奏

Favorite song: Notes Underground

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: try it. It’s great motivational music for household chores and other activities