…we’re blessed with a tremendous library system (courtesy of those crunchy-granola liberal thinkers in nearby Portland, who consider books and music to be an important resource for a strong community). So, in the spirit of turning you on to new grooves, here’s the first of (still) another new (occasional) series from Fusion 45: I Found It At The Library.
George Harrison – You – A semi-hit, I guess, from dear old George but highly underrated. An ass-kicking studio team, including our hero, Jim Keltner.
The Fall Call- The Walls Came Down – Fans of The Fall Call will likely scoff — this is the only one that non-Fall Call fans know — but any band that can get Charlton Heston to play keyboard in their video is OK with me.
The Fiery Furnances – The Philadelphia Grand Jury – The Furnaces are a band I really like but haven’t gotten to spend much time with. One of the few groups I’ve read about in The Wire that I actually understand.
Big Star – Take Care – Magazines love to write about Big Star…fallen idols, band that never quite cracked the glass ceiling of stardom. But, if they had, no one would be so intrigued, would they?
James Blackshaw – Stained Glass Windows – Remember when records were cheap enough that you could take the chance and buy one because it had a cool cover? Well, I borrowed this one for the same reason. Reminds me of Adrian Legg.
Kasey Chambers – sign On The Door – Kasey Chambers’ voice is a little thin for my tastes but her material equalizes that complaint. This is actually a pretty inventive album (Carnival)
Mark Knopfler – Secondary Waltz – Knopfler is one of those guys you can’t help but respect and I always enjoy his solo stuff. But I’m never quite as satisfied as I am when I listen to the first Dire Straits record.
Rickie Lee Jones – Road To Emmaus – I like the broad guitar sound in this tune. The good thing is that there are even better tunes on this album (The Sermon on Exposition Boulevard).
Stephen Malkmus – Phantasies – Don’t know his stuff well enough to know if this is typical but, either way, he owes Lou Reed a commission on this one.
Black Sabbath – Iron Man - I borrowed this one because one of my 10 year old’s friends has been singing it in the back of the car on the way to soccer practice. I’ve never gotten Black Sabbath and probably never will. Lame songs, bad production, marginal musicianship. This song is so bad it’s good (for a laugh, anyway).
Arcade Fire – Intervention – Another band for whom I’ve never understood the hype…but anything with a pump organ deserves at least a listen.
Peter Himmelman – Impermanent Things – This is from Strength to Strength, which I bought on cassette years ago. I think he’s brilliant and wish I had time to dig deeper into his stuff.
R. Crumb And The Cheap Suit Serenaders – I Want A little Girl – There’s really no comment necessary.
The Delgados – Friendly Conventions – Variety is the spice of life, a little noise is good for the soul.
Joan Armatrading – A Woman in Love – From her recent Into The Blues album, which was highly praised. She seems to nail every genre she touches.
I have the Joan Armatrading and I really enjoy it also.
As to Black Sabbath, I wrote a few weeks ago that my 13 and 10 year old boys listen to Black Sabbath (in small doses thanks to their oppressive dad) as if they are a new band! At that age they are of course influenced by their friends at school, and they all listen and sing Iron Man, War Pigs and various Ozzy singles.
I think you mean The Call and not The Fall for The Walls Came Down. They are two very different bands
Great post. I love public libraries.
I need to spend some serious time reading through your last several posts on independent labels, too, MJ. I kept watching them coming through on the feeds and nodding my head appreciatively. Superb stuff.
Indeed, Baby 81, I stand corrected. The Fall and The Call may be miles away musically, but “F” and “C” are centimeters away on my keyboard.
I didn’t want to say it but… I believe that George’s “You” has Jim Gordon on the drums. If my sources are correct “You” was a left over from the All Things Must Pass sessions hence the Phil Spectorish sort of feel to the mix.
I’m not saying that’s factual but unless my ears are playing tricks I’m hearing 2 drummers on this cut.
It’s hard to know for sure since the Extra Texture credits list the Jims Gordon & Keltner and Andy Newmark as drummers.
If my sleep-deprived brain recalls correctly, there are other instances where Gordon and Keltner are credited but the specific tracks on which they play are not noted. “Will O’ The Wsip” from Leon Russell sticks in my mind, but I may still be in a REM state. I trust your sources, though Bunky, as I took a bit of poetic license by suggesting it was Keltner. Thanks for the comment.