Welcome to another blog about what I have been listening to this week past.
Jay and the Americans – Blockbusters
Blockbusters, indeed. Jay and the Americans recorded “Cara Mia” on their 1965 LP Blockbusters. It became an international Top 5 hit, reaching number 1 in Canada. Their version was re-released in 1980 and went into the charts in the Netherlands. Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa is my favourite song of this album.
Jay and the Americans – Greatest Hits
Not all blockbusters are great hits. There are a few cross-over songs and a few new faces. While listening to Jay and the Americans, I looked them up on Wikipedia. My history of rock and roll books collects dust nowadays. Depending on which version of the band you look up, about 3/4 of them passed away in their 80s, and the rest are in their 80s. It makes me feel old that I enjoy bands from this era.
Garland Jeffreys – One-Eyed Jack
One-Eyed Jack is an album best left in the dollar bin at the record store, which is where I found it.
Benjamin Jay Thomas – You Are The Sea (Mantrasong 054
Easy as silk and smooth as a baby’s skin, this track is my pick for “Norman’s Single of the Day!” Benjamin is a spiritual being on a human journey and plays music as the backing track for his Life.
Clone – CL.1
This album has consumed more of my listening time than any other album this week. I left it on as background music while I worked; it worked very well in that job. I have listened to it intently with the lyrics up on the screen; it was a good listen. I have heard it several times this week, more than all the other albums combined.
The verdict? I don’t know; the jury is still deliberating. I have listened to it a few times and don’t want to tip the scales. So, I am pausing to write this.
My take on this album is this:
Track 1, Room of Tears. (A song for a rich boy at his father’s funeral)
The song starts with a light, easy instrumental intro that builds for about 30 seconds, an eternity in a three-and-a-half-minute song. It builds, and then the lyrics come in with darker music and a more intense tone. The anguished speaker laments, “You can count on suffering in waves.” No amount of denial or anguish will take our grief away; it will continue to come at us in waves that may change in intensity over time but never go away.
Track 2, Immutable (an anthem for the 99%, the poor and how they are silenced.”
“In your veins flow an anger that can’t be taught.”
Track 3, Dazzler (a song told from a pimp’s perspective selling his hooker.) A significant part of making a sale is bargaining, the buyer and seller jostling for the best price for each.
Track 4, Dividing Line (Aka the Donnie Song about Donald Trump starting a race war in this county). I do not live in the USA, so Trump is starting a war in his country, not this country, the one I live in—a depressing thought, regardless of which country you live in. A sad thought that seems to be creeping closer and closer to a heartbreaking reality.
Track 5, Still Life. (a song about a stalker) We transport from one depressing reality to another. Despite the creepy content, I like the music, mainly the guitar.
Track 6, Salt Sea Strain (a song about dying on the beach in front of your mother while attempting to save her life), is another catchy tune despite the dark lyrics. It reminds me of another musician who sets depressing lyrics in a catchy pop tune, Of Montreal.
Track 7, Redeemer (a song about the irresistibility of cult leaders), is another song with great music surrounding a terrible reality. Just turn the television on to one of the faith channels or the late-night crawlers with their twisted religion.
Track 8, Insides (is a song about the war coming). There is little to look forward to after this song; war is never a winning life track.
Track 9, Resurrection ( A song about people always caught in repetitious life cycles, always making the wrong mistakes, always being judged, never giving their say, and only believing in nihilism over religion) Wow, that’s a mouthful. There is nothing left for me to say other than a definition of nihilism; it is the rejection of all moral and religious principles and the belief that life is meaningless.
On the heels of their recently released debut album, CL. 1, Brooklyn post-punk/alternative rock outfit CLONE presents the timely single ‘Immutable,’ a powerful anthem for the ordinary people who form the backbone of our society.
Delving deep into the ongoing, persistent struggle between the vast majority of people and a small, elite class, Clone explores how wealth and power are systematically extracted from the masses. A passionate call to action, ‘Immutable,’ demands immediate attention to the pressing political and economic issues facing our world.
“This song is about us. The 99% that is working to keep it all moving forward. The history of the poor has never truly been told. ‘Immutable’ is the story of the 99% and how the 1% take it all from the masses,” says frontman LG Galleon.
My closing thoughts after writing the above and listening to the music again is that CL.1 is about us, and the album gives the band a vessel to explore denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance which are steps that we follow in life and in loss.
‘Immutable’ video https://youtu.be/FfDSPxW6EJ8
‘Dividing Line’ video https://youtu.be/Wek1uSlQ7Go
‘CL. 1’ album order (digital) https://music.drm.co.nz/cl1-clone
Album order (vinyl) https://littlecloudrecords.com/products/clone-cl-1-pre-order
Bandcamp album order (vinyl /digital) https://clonebk.bandcamp.com/album/cl-1
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/2MOBVjgMYnExeOOkzMz2Ks
Apple Music https://music.apple.com/nz/artist/clone/1498878509
Full album on YouTube https://tinyurl.com/Clone-debut-album-YouTube
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The Half-Cubes – Pop Treasures
The Half-Cubes – vocalist-bassist GARY FRENAY and drummer-producer TOMMY ALLEN – had made their bow and their vow to carry on the “covering the classics” mission of their long-time main project, The Flashcubes, while that band’s Pop Masters album was still winning critical accolades and international airplay last year. Enlisting the permanent assistance of guitarist RANDY KLAWON (The Choir, Cyrus Erie), the duo signalled their ambitions to dive even deeper into the ocean of guitar pop cult classics with the hit indie single “Weakest Shade Of Blue,” a Pernice Brothers tune (featuring Bob Pernice) of a far more recent vintage than the Pop Masters songbook. The surprises continued on singles paying tribute to ’70s hitmakers The Hudson Brothers (with brother Mark Hudson on board), ’80s college rock darlings The Pursuit Of Happiness (featuring TPOH frontman Moe Berg), and fellow Power Pop Hall Of Famers The Rubinoos, whose own Jon Rubin and Tommy Dunbar joined in as well. Fans were also treated to ‘Cubes-only renditions of beloved-but-obscure cuts by The Motors (by way of The Searchers), Cheap Trick, Phil Seymour and 20/20… tracks celebrating seven artists across five decades and demonstrating that The Half-Cubes were doubling down to the delight of pop fans worldwide.
This album is a long listen but worth investing in every minute. And the bonus of a great album cover.
https://orcd.co/halfcubes-poptreasures
BIG STIR RECORDS1521 North Rose Street, Burbank CA 91505bigstrrecords@gmail.com
Weathered Music 