Posts Tagged ‘gee’

Top Ten Countdown – The Story Song (Toughest gig in songwriting) # 3

Posted: August 29, 2012 by Dale Nickey in List
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(Click here for parts 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 2 and 1)

Authored by Dale Nickey:

Sailing in at NUMBER 3

“The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald“

Gordon Lightfoot (1976)

In November 1975 a cargo ship named The Edmund Fitzgerald sailed into a brutal winter storm on Lake Superior and sank. All 29 crew members perished. Canadian singer/songwriter/seafarer Gordon Lightfoot was sufficiently moved to write this dense, dreary tribute soon after. “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” is a classic on many levels. It went to # 2 on the Billboard chart.  Details of the crew’s final moments will never be known. However, Lightfoot fills in the blanks with a likely scenario that makes full use of the artistic license granted to storytellers in the folk idiom. And, Lightfoot’s love and knowledge of sailing informs and authenticates his view of the tragedy.  Commonly cited as one of the greatest examples of the “story song” in pop history; the song was used as background music for a 2010 television documentary on the event.

In the early seventies, America’s Lyric Laureate, Bob Dylan was maintaining a low media profile. Anxious Rock journalists rung their hands and began a vigilant lookout for “The New Dylan”.  Gordon Lightfoot was among the names most often put forward.  This performance of “The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald” shows why…..

Top Ten Countdown – The Story Song (Toughest gig in songwriting) # 4

Posted: August 25, 2012 by Dale Nickey in List
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(Click here for parts 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 3, 2 and 1)

NUMBER   4

Bob Dylan – Tangled Up In Blue (1975)

 In his early period, Dylan seldom fared well in relationship songs.  His snarky, nasal bray wasn’t the best mode of expression for an artist already too arrogant and full of himself.

However, by 1975 time and circumstance had beaten down his trademark whine into a world weary croon that suited his songs (and the audience) better. “Tangled Up In Blue” is story song about a red hot love affair driven into the ditch.  Dylan journeys from the “Great North Woods” down to New Orleans. He meets a lot of women, but his old flame never ‘escapes his mind’. We now had a Dylan that could share the guilt and feel the pain. Like many pathetic Bobophiles, I was sure “Tangled Up In Blue” was somehow telepathically speaking to me personally.

NOTE:

Bob is forever shape-shifting and tweaking his songs.  Forces of Nature seldom sit still.  As a result, his live performances can frustrate fans who worship a certain recorded version of their favorite song.  Here is Dylan messing with his own masterpiece to questionable effect…..

TOP 10 COUNTDOWN – STORY SONGS (The toughest gig in songwriting) # 7

Posted: August 2, 2012 by Dale Nickey in List
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By Dale Nickey:

(Click here for parts 10, 9, 8, 6,  5, 4, 3, 2 and 1)

NUMBER – 7

Lola – The Kinks (Songwriter Ray Davies)

For most people my age, Lola was the first introduction to transgender culture. Head Kink, Ray Davies tells this shaggy dog story about a chance encounter with a hot trannie at a Soho club. Confusion, self-examination and romance ensue. One of those Classic Rock lyrics most boomers could recite from memory if they really sat down a gave it a try,  Ultimately, the verdict of this mini morality play falls on the side of love and  acceptance. Further, Ray sings it with a conviction that makes one wonder if this story was fiction or reportage.

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TOP 10 COUNTDOWN – STORY SONGS (The toughest gig in songwriting) # 9

Posted: July 26, 2012 by Dale Nickey in List
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By Dale Nickey:

(Click here for parts 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1)

No. 9……

  ”The Queen And The Soldier” – Suzanne Vega (1985)

I once read a quote that said, “Honor thy limitation as hidden intent”. Suzanne Vega’s enduring strength is that fact she never oversells a song. Not an acrobatic vocalist; Vega’s conversational, deadpan delivery pairs perfectly with this timeless epic. Rooted deeply in folk; “The Queen And The Soldier” has the familiar elements of chivalry, loyalty, betrayal and murder that are the hallmarks of old English balladry. The strong and pretty melody supported by the brittle jangle of an arppegiated acoustic guitar mirrors the psychological complexity of The Queen. A beautiful work that elevated Vega to the elite league of songwriters.

Dynamic Duos – TOP FIVE SINGER/GUITARIST HOOKUPS

Posted: June 24, 2012 by Dale Nickey in Band Spotlight, List
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Authored by Dale Nickey:

The Stones, Guns & Roses, Led Zeppelin, The Who. Great BANDS right? What makes a great Rock And Roll band anyway? It ain’t that hard to figure. A great rhythm section is the slab foundation. Then you need the brick and mortar. That comes down to a charismatic lead singer and a gunslinger guitarist; and in epic bands, they’re usually joined at the hip and have a special musical, telepathic and (sometimes) quasi-homoerotic bond. Disagree? Allow me to submit the following for your consideration….

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (The Stones);

Mick n’ Keef  have been playing, writing and fighting in the same band for 50 years now. A dysfunctional marriage without the sex. Every song they produce is community property (Jagger/Richards). They fight over money and who is whose best friend. Mick pulled a pout during the ‘Exile’ sessions when Keef started spending too much time with stud-muffin country rock pioneer Gram Parsons. Keef pissed and moaned when Mick left him at home to make his first solo album with Jeff Beck. Together they are a money spinning machine that transcends Mick’s modest vocal abilities  and the band’s fabled inconsistency. They are the prototype.

Robert Plant and Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)

One of the hallmarks of the epic tag-team is that the band cannot exist without either partner. You could have Zep again with a deputy drummer. However, without Page or Plant it’s ‘no deal’. Like the Stones, the Zep songwriting is a co-op. On stage, they only have eyes for each other. As solo artists, Plant has survived well and Page has managed to stay gainfully employed.  However, they will never escape the Zep legacy and will be dogged by reunion inquiries until they die.

Roger Daltry and Pete Townsend (The Who):

Even in his youth, Pete Townsend and his prominent proboscis were hard on the eyes.  However, his musical genius was indisputable. Roger Daltry was the perfect hood ornament for the high-performance vehicle that was The Who. Daltry was not a writer (a good thing), yet was such a passionate and protective advocate of the brand that he engaged in fistfights with Townsend over the direction of the band  (a good thing). Golden-god Daltry was a perfect foil and muse for Townsend. So much so, that when it came time to cast an actor for the movie version of the rock opera “Tommy”, Daltry was the only possible choice.

David Bowie and Mick Ronson (The Spiders From Mars):

Yes, I know, I know…..Bowie has been a successful solo artist for decades after his estrangement from the late Mick Ronson. However, Bowie established his brand after Ronson came on board, not before. And, Bowie went mega in the role of “Ziggy Stardust”. Ziggy had a band. The band was The Spiders From Mars. Onstage, Ronson was Ziggy’s onstage foil and object of unrequited man-lust. In the studio, classically trained Ronson was indispensable as musical director, string arranger, guitarist and piano man. The grand trilogy of Bowie albums (“Hunky Dory”, “Ziggy Stardust” and “Aladdin Sane”) bear Ronson’s indelible stamp. The drop-off in the quality of Bowie’s productions (post-Ronson) was within acceptable parameters, but still noticeable to discerning rock music fans.

Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (Aerosmith):

At least a few of the above musicians can claim some solo success outside their main-squeeze partnerships. Not so for Tyler and Perry.  Solo efforts by both have been laughable and catastrophic. A union cut from the same co-dependant cloth as Mick and Keef;  Steve and Joe always end up back together in sickness and in health, for the career salvaging make-up album and tour. Their personal, studio and onstage chemistry is undeniable; and to hear Steven Tyler talk about it, kinda creepy…..

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Endangered Species – Top Five “Singing Drummers”

Posted: June 13, 2012 by Dale Nickey in List
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Authored by Dale Nickey:

First guy I ever saw sing and play drums was Ringo.  The Beatles introduced the world to a lot of new and strange ideas.  Soon Gary Lewis And The Playboys followed and then …The Carpenters.  So now a tribute to that strange sub-genre of musician, The Singing Drummer.

Here are the top dogs:

Levon Helm (The Band)

Levon’s recent passing had me scurrying to my “Last Waltz” DVD. Levon is the most involving of the “Singing Drummers.”  It’s a tough brief to sing while coordinating the separate movements of  all four limbs. Levon ups the ante’ by playing funky, syncopated parts that have very little connection to the vocal line.  He does all this while maintaining an emotional commitment to the song that is the hallmark of a great lead singer. Levon’s seamless merger of voice, instrument, and body is approached only by Hendrix on guitar. However, Helm’s genius is best explained by watching the epic DVD, “The Last Waltz.”

Ringo Starr (The Beatles)

The Beatles phenomena was alien enough. Moreover, Ringo playing and singing “Boys” on the Shindig TV program was America’s first real sighting of the “singing drummer.” The Beatles looked, played, sang, dressed and talked different from the rest of us. Now a drummer that sang? Wild stuff. Ringo was always undervalued as a musician while in The Beatles. However, any songwriter could appreciate his unwavering sense of time and feel in an era before the click track; not to mention, his total commitment to the song. How many stickmen took a crack at the vocal mike due to his example? Listen to his stupendous (live in studio) version of “Boys” off the first album “Please Please Me.” It rocks as hard as any other cut on the record (yes….that includes “Twist And Shout”). Ringo had his share of solo success as well.

Roger Taylor (Queen)

Taylor was a twofer. He was a consummate drummer who could rock as hard and fast as any speed metal stickman and also play with the delicacy required of Queens nuanced arrangements. But Taylor also shouldered the heaviest onstage burden when it came to singing the difficult and omnipresent high harmony backup vocals. Remember, this is Queen we’re talking about. A band that could fill up a 24 track console with vocals alone. The fact that Queen could even approach their recorded sound onstage is astounding and a tribute to Roger Taylor’s amazing talent. Check out Taylor’s performance on the “Queen Rocks Montreal” DVD. It’s a clinic.

Phil Collins (Genesis/Solo)

Ringo was the prototype but Phil took the roll of the singing drummer to a stratospheric level. First, as Peter Gabriel’s vocal foil in Genesis mark II.  Then, as Gabriel’s replacement in the Mega Stadium incarnation of the band. He pushed his star even further and surprised the world as a platinum selling singer/songwriter/solo artist with a capital A.  He achieved a level of success previously unheard of for a ‘drummer gone solo.’ His workaholism cost him. He has had debilitating back problems the last decade that has all but silenced his drumming.

Don Henley (Eagles/Solo)

Probably the least imposing instrumentalist on the list. Henley still stands out as a triple threat singer/drummer/songwriter. Leading the Eagles was no easy task and Henley gave them the solid, economical foundation that the Eagles virgin-tight arrangements required. Unique from the others on this list due to the fact he was his band’s leader and visionary from the get go.  And frankly, his best solo efforts were more compelling than any of the lightweight offerings of The Eagles.

Lost Treasures – Bjork’s “Medulla” Revisited

Posted: May 7, 2012 by Dale Nickey in Album Review
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There’s a huge difference between viewing the video of a baby’s birth and witnessing the squalling, chaotic, fluid spewing event up close and in person.  Bjork’s Medulla peels off some layers and allows us to move a little closer to the act of creation. Missing are the  lush orchestrations she usually employs to frame her muse. Bjork maintains her aesthetic despite the fact she takes a 180 degree turn away from orthodox instrumentation. Medulla strips instrumentation away and leaves us with a record equipped only with the most primal tool of human expression; the voice.  Not just an a Capella exercise, Medulla (in typical Bjorkian fashion) redefines the voice’s function as a musical delivery medium.  Many artists before have tried their hand at the ‘all vocal’ album. But, none have succeeded as Bjork has on Medulla.  Her mission is to not just celebrate the voice, but to subvert, distort and manipulate it into a third entity.  Part human, part synthetic, and 100 % unique . Even the drumbeats on the album are produced by vocal slight of hand.

Before Medulla, the trajectory of her studio work was admirably logical. Every album was a consolidation and advancement over the one previous. Post (Bjork’s brilliant second album), took Debut’s fusion of organic and electronic elements and pumped up the drama by accenting  the electric and eclectic.  On Homogenic (Bjork’s third album), the Icelandic String Octet shared  the spotlight with massive electronic beats to help define a new genre (Icelandic Neoclassical Soul/Pop).  When Bjork followed up with Vespertine, the strings had expanded it’s role to a grand, orchestral scale augmented with a full female choir; the big beat replaced by a shower of skittering micro beats buzzing around the stereo spectrum like flying audio insects.  After Vespertine Bjork was at a crossroads artistically.  She chose to roll the commercial dice and challenge her audience.  There are some remarkable highlights on Medulla.

“Where Is The Line With You” is the most ‘off the wall’ track on Medulla. For me,  it carries the benign menace of a 50′s science fiction movie but manages to do it with a smile and a wink.  It doesn’t really matter if you don’t know what she’s carrying on about.  It’s a meticulous cacophony.  The joy of noise for it’s own sake. Special mention to Faith No More frontman Mike Patton for adding extra menace and color to this amazing track.

“Oceania” is the prettiest track on the album.  A female chorus swirls around the main melody like glissando piano runs.  However, the result is otherworldly. On this track–like most of Medulla—you will hear sounds you’ve never heard on a record before .Bjork – Oceania

“Triumph Of A Heart” is the closest thing to a commercial single on the album.  It’s catchy and wacky.  Japanese vocalist Dokaka is allowed to have his way with TOAH and leaves his indelible mark on the track.  And like any strong seasoning, a little Dokaka goes a long way.watch toah 

“Mouths Cradle” is an ambitious track.  More than any other track, “Mouths Cradle” seems the most comfortable in its skin.  Both extremes of Medulla merge seamlessly on the track; the organic and technological.

At times the tracks on Medulla are so raw and immediate, you get the feeling the writing process ended mere nanoseconds before the record button was pressed. At other times it seems you’re eavesdropping on an artist in holy communion with her muse.  If you want to hear the true essence of Bjork, this is the album to own. It’s hard to call this album her masterpiece. The overall excellence of  of her early period is hard to dismiss.  However, on a creative level,  Medulla could very well be her greatest achievement.

Lost Indie Treasure – Deborah Gee’s “Portal” Re-opened

Posted: March 14, 2012 by Dale Nickey in Album Review
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Reviewed by Dale Nickey:

Deborah Gee is an artist who has been around the block.  She has been-there-done-that both musically, and existentially.  On the solo album Portal (2000) she demonstrates her ability to channel all of what she is and what she’s learned into the grooves.  Gee has had brushes with commercial crossover.  Her music has appeared in T.V. and films and has garnered the type of positive mainstream press that usually results in Billboard placing and higher media profile.  However, she remains an indie enigma.  Gee’s stock and trade is eclectic progressive pop with a decidedly Euro-American sensibility.  For those of you who need comparisons…think Aimee Mann without the sugary aftertaste.  And in her edgier moments, Chrissy Hynde with less snark and more heart….

Portal was recorded and mastered in L.A. and released int the year 2000.  The squeaky clean production speaks very much to the locale. Gee Produced, wrote and/or co-wrote all but one track and pitched in on guitar and percussion as well.  Here is a track by track critique of the album: buyGeeCDBABY

Opening track “Say What You Mean” is the smart and obvious choice as the gateway tune to the album.  Arguably the the most fully realized piece of music on Portal, I’d venture this selection received a lot of TLC in the tracking and mixing phase of the production. Co-produced by C.J. DeVillar; It has a graceful and elegant mid-tempo groove laced with spacey (yet restrained) sitar and tremolo guitar effects.  A good stoner tune that’s tight in the pocket and frosted with a memorable hook line.  The following track, “Risk” seems to possess a vague notion of being an Alt-Country crossover hit.  Ironically, it’s the least riskiest track on the album.

The darker, weirder recesses of this record is what most interests this reviewer and the track “Naked” has a lot to recommend.  A looser, more Diddleyesque beat changes the pace from the swiss watch precision of the previous selections and Gee adds some nice spoken word interludes and edgy lyrics decrying the destruction of innocence in particular and religulousness in general.  Lots of nice musical detours in the arrangment.

Number four is “Perfect Girl”.  A bouncy prog-pop quickie that lyrically slaps upside the head the pathetic fool in all men.  You know what I’m talking about; the man child who constantly devalues who they’re with in favor of the idealized Perfect Girl who exists only in the imagination and ego.

“Treasure” is the albums first bonified unplugged moment.  There is plenty of space and air in this track; allowing discreet percussion to bounce around the stereo spectrum to nice effect.  It’s a gentle mandolin driven track that (for me) evokes the hippy spirit of the Laurel Canyon singer songwriter era; and if this album were a 33 1/3 long player, it would be the perfect closer for side 1.

Conversely, “Just A Kiss Away” would be the perfect hard charger out of the gate to open Side 2.  Arguably the most commercial track on the collection, it merits a higher placing than sixth on the track-list.  No matter, it’s a stunning track that is carried by Gee’s driving acoustic guitar.  It’s sentiments are very pure pop for now people. I got a very strong visual of the girl in the coffee bar who is seemingly ‘too cool for school’ already strategizing the conquest of her clueless prey.

“Warning” keeps things moving along with some nuanced, injured bird vocals and some nice wordplay about good lust gone bad.  Upon second listening I detected the fragrance of Suzanne Vega during her urgent loft-pop heyday; this is a good thing…..

“Washed Away” is a barometer of how good this album is.  Neither a commerical slam dunk like “Just A Kiss Away” nor a finely honed set piece like “Say What You Mean”, “Washed Away” simply carries you along on the strength of melody and song-craft alone.  An album cut to be sure, but one that sticks to the ribs and has a build and release that would do any middle period Genesis track proud.

Any classic solo album worth it’s weight needs a majestic, tear-jerking, power ballad with a universal message.  Pearl fits that bill nicely. The bridge section where Gee scats against the mournful cello phrases shows the depth, power and fragility of a master vocalist and chanteuse.

The final tune, “The Child Will Mend” is Gee alone with her voice and thoughts. It seems a summation of the lessons learned in the preceding songs. Achieving a Zen ‘state of grace’ is not a team sport. it’s done alone,  one person, one soul, one voice.  Only the angels for companions.

I read an interesting quote in a Nick Lowe article. To the effect that ‘pretty good’ is the new terrible.  Just one viewing of the highs stakes karaoke of The Voice should convince any doubters of this theory.  Old world craftsmanship on record used to be the requisite not the exception.  Portal is all about old-world craftsmanship.  When I got this record for review,  I knew it would be a ‘pretty good album’ with many  strong points.  I wasn’t expecting a great one.  I’ts nice to be surprised.

buy ‘Portal’ on iIunes, click the link below

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