Tag: rock

595. The Weeklings

~ ernopepper ~ Leave a comment

(August 2024) Episode 595 is THE WEEKLINGS. I was blown away by “Little Tease,” perhaps the best facsimile of 1963 Beatles I’ve ever heard. Who did this? It was the Weeklings, a wholly intentional Beatles homage project led by songwriter, collaborator, and former Styx member Glen Burtnik. And they do homage quite well. Their recordings are a mix of enjoyable songs written in that style and (less enjoyable) covers of second-tier Beatles songs. Like the Rutles, the gold standard of Beatles-imitation, the Weeklings drop little lyrical and musical Beatles references in their songs. But they suffer from what I call the “That Thing You Do” conundrum: a song can be wonderous by perfectly mimicking the structure, harmonies and hooks of a Beatles song, but it suffers from not sounding like one due to modern recording and processing techniques (especially drums). (Of course the Weeklings covered “That Thing You Do.”)

Favorite album: The Weeklings

Favorite song: Little Tease

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: It’s worth checking out how well they imitate the Beatles (generally best on the first album) but there’s not much to keep you after.

587. Marmalade

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(July 2024) Episode 587 is MARMALADE. I did this episode solely for my fathomless adoration of “I See the Rain,” one of my favorite psychedelic songs of all time (I’m still trying to figure out what they’re doing with the two bass guitars on it). But you may recognize them for their radio-friendly soft rock hit “Reflections of My Life,” or their unremarkable cover of “Ob-la-di-ob-la-da.” This Scottish act started out as the Gaylords with several beat singles in the mid-1960, then some psychedelia, before settling into a respectable run of soft rock/power pop recordings through the early 70s, followed by obscure albums in the late 70s/early 80s that aren’t worth searching for. Their best work was not organized onto proper albums so I don’t list a favourite.

Favourite album: n/a (try the Very Best of Marmalade as a greatest hits album)

Favourite song: I See the Rain

Compared to expectations: ↓

Recommendation: A greatest hits album is more than enough.

585. The Feelies

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(July 2024) Episode 585 is THE FEELIES. Their first album Crazy Rhythms (1980) is a gem of post-punk nerdy angular rock. But everything after that bores me. I suspect this opinion will alienate me from some peers. It is obvious they take inspiration from the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed (confirmed in a decent VU cover album released last year). And sometimes you hear wisps of Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo in the pulses. But my immense love for those three bands does not translate to The Feelies. I don’t mind jangly guitars in the right context, but a lot of The Feelies feels like just jangling for jangling’s sake.

Favorite album: Crazy Rhythms        

Favorite song: Loveless Love

Compared to expectations: ↓

Recommendation: Just Crazy Rhythms

583. Herman’s Hermits

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(July 2024) Episode 583 is HERMAN’S HERMITS. If the British Invasion had a bubblegum band, Herman’s Hermits would be it. They preceded the Monkees but there are parallels – light happy tunes, a pre-fab element, cross-marketing on TV/movies, the vocal similarities between Davey Jones and Peter Noone, and a mix of popularity and critical scorn. The Monkees’ reputation improved over time (they had damn fine songs) and I think so of Herman’s Hermits too. Overall their music was better than I expected, helped by trying not to compare it to what their peers were putting out. But their polite approach couldn’t survive the late 60s.

Favourite album: Blaze

Favourite song: I’m Into Something Good

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: A hits compilation is plenty.

582. Cracker

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(July 2024) Episode 582 is CRACKER. Following the eclectic approach of Camper Van Beethoven (episode 61), Dave Lowery went more conventional with Cracker. They got notice as 90s alt-rockers but the albums shift between alt, roots rock, and country-rock. Cracker is fine music: meaning, the songs are satisfying but it’s also not going to get you out of your seat. At times the songs tend to run together, but going through their discography, each album has its own personality, and that keeps it interesting. As do Lowery’s wise-ass vocals.

Favorite album: Kerosene Hat

Favorite song: Get Off This

Compared to expectations: same

Recommendation: For classic 90s alt, the first two albums (Cracker and Kerosene Hat); for a different 00s alt, Forever and Greenland; for curiously enjoyable “California country,” Countrysides and the second disc on Berkley to Bakersfield.

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577. Manfred Mann

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(June 2024) Episode 577 is MANFRED MANN. Continuing my tour of British Invasion-era bands, I must clarify that this episode is about Manfred Mann the band, not group member Manfred Mann for whom the band was named over his objection, and went on to a solo career. Confusing I know. They got attention as an R&B outfit which, to my ear, is arguably second best among UK groups behind the Stones. Their early pop hit, however, the instantly recognizable “Do Wah Diddy Diddy,” was not indicative of that sound. But variety was also their mark, as band members brought their interest in jazz to the mix. This makes their albums more interesting but less consistent, and there’s the typical complicating overlap of UK and US releases. After 1966, a new singer and a new label meant a new direction. Their three late-1960s albums offer a more sophisticated sound and some baroque rock gems; I like this stuff best although critics rate the R&B recordings higher.   

Favourite album: Mighty Garvey!

Favourite song: The Mighty Quinn

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: I usually commend a greatest hits disc for such groups, but this might merit a deeper dive into the two periods to see which you prefer.

575. Paul Revere & the Raiders

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(June 2024) Episode 575 is PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS. I had long thought Paul Revere and the Raiders were a plastic contraption trying to ride the wave of the British Invasion, largely due to their Revolutionary War-era costumes. I was very wrong. They had their origins in Boise, Idaho, of all places, as an instrumental rock band, but were able to capitalize on the emerging popularity of guitar rock with a version of “Louie, Louie” as other Pacific Northwest bands were doing the same. This sound, led by the semi-snarling vocals of Mark Lindsay, helped define what we now call American garage rock. Moving to Los Angeles and absorbing its influences, the Raiders’ seven (!) albums recorded between 1966 and 1968 are all really good, with a fair number of original compositions (although their best songs tended to be written by others). They transitioned well into the 1970s with more earthy songs, before fading off into the nostalgia circuit. One knock on their status (for me) was frequent lineup changes, with Lindsay and the eponymous Paul Revere Dick being the only constants.

Favorite album: Midnight Ride

Favorite song: Kicks

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: A compilation of their hits will be good, but you can dig in further with any of those 1966-68 albums from Just Like Us to Something Happening.

572. XTC

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Episode 572 is XTC. As mentioned, I’ve enjoyed getting into the stuff that burst of the late-70s UK post-punk scene. Unlike others, XTC did not start out as a punk band, but they slid right into the emerging sound with an angular rhythmic attack and bouncy vocals. Their beats crept up to the edge of, but never got to, ska, giving echoes of Madness. At times their boisterous vocal style evokes Adam Ant, with a bit of Joe Jackson. Like contemporaries the Stranglers and Wire, XTC endured for years, creatively adapting their sound and style, while avoiding the sinkhole of 80s synths and gated drums. The early albums are their distinctive best, but my favorite thing they did was two records posing as a late-60s British psychedelic band, the Dukes of Stratosphear – spot-on homage to my most cherished of subgenres.

Favourite album (XTC): Black Sea

Favourite album overall: Chips from the Chocolate Fireball, the combined disc of the two Dukes of Stratosphear recordings

Favourite song: Generals and Majors

Song that is so familiar that I know from somewhere but I cannot remember where I know it from: Dear God

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: The Dukes albums for sure (that’s just me), but for the core sound, White Music, Drums and Wires, and Black Sea.

571. The Hollies

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(May 2024) Episode 571 of the is THE HOLLIES. I have tended to discount British Invasion bands that were not among the Big Four, as but in the recent episode on Dave Clark Five, I realize my mistake with The Hollies too. I was surprisingly pleased to learn they are far more than the familiar handful of hit singles and for being launching pad for Graham Nash. Their best and most distinctive feature is the top-notch harmonies. Their arc is a familiar one: initial albums featuring R&B covers; blossoming when they start recording original material, including the obligatory 1967 psychedelic album; flowing into the 1970s with power pop and soft rock, enjoyable but not as good as before Nash left; then a slide into blah in the late 1970s, 1980s and 2010s. They always stayed on the lighter side of pop-rock, never getting adventurous like their more famous peers. And they’re still around today with two original members, and two others still alive but not with the group.

Favourite album: Evolution

Favourite song: Bus Stop

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: The four albums from Would You Believe (1966) to Butterfly (1967), although you’ll also want a greatest hits disc to capture Bus Stop, Dear Eloise, Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress, and The Air That I Breathe.*

* Fun fact: As noted in my Connections page, the chords from the verses in “The Air That I Breathe” (1972) were lifted by Radiohead into “Creep” (1992), and later used by Lana Del Ray in “Get Free” (2017) and in the title song “Red Swan” from the third season (2018) of the anime series “Attack on Titan.”

564. The Turtles + Flo & Eddie

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(April 2024) Episode 564 is THE TURTLES and FLO & EDDIE. As a Frank Zappa enjoyer I always thought of the Turtles as the band Flo & Eddie (Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman) were in before they joined the second version of the Mothers of Invention, rather than the reverse. It turns out they provided a lot more enjoyable 60s LA pop/rock beyond “Happy Together,” “Elenore” and “You Showed Me.” Five good albums worth, augmented by their characteristic humor (the line “you’re my pride and joy etc.” from “Elenore” get me every time). After the Turtles folded, Flo & Eddie reached the prurient zenith of their humor with the Mothers (e.g. “Bwana Dik”) and recorded several quirky albums on their own.

Favorite album: The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands

Favorite song: Happy Together

Favorite Flo & Eddie album: Fillmore East – June 1971 (with the Mothers)

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: Any of the albums are good; I like Battle of the Bands because of its intentional variety, although Happy Together scores higher.