Song of the Day: January 9, 2005
Susstones records 45, 1990
The best "power pop" records move beyond glib Beatles and Beach Boys knockoffs and are injected lyrically and vocally with soul. While they may employ the standard ingredients like pretty melodies and power chords, my favorite songwriters add some little something that makes you believe their world is ending, and gives their best material the gravity of a George Jones weeper. The Little Hits Hall of Fame includes such examples as Mike Jarvis of the Blow Pops/Lackloves, Jeff Lescher of Green, and Dan Sarka. Sarka made a couple of terrific singles for the prolific Susstones label with Minneapolis's Sparrows. When that band fell apart, he created comic-book heroes the Vandalias, who made two amazing albums for now-defunct Big Deal Records. His newest outfit is called Stingray Green, and we're hoping it offers more of what Mr. Sarka calls "tenpop" (pop turned up to ten).
Song of the Day: January 8, 2005
From "Live Dead Clean," Flying Nun Records EP, 1986.
At the risk of redundancy, let's review a couple of facts. 1) Flying Nun Records, in its first decade was the greatest post-punk label EVER. 2) The Clean were the most important band on the label. While I would never doubt the wisdom of the folks who compiled the absolutely mandatory The Clean Anthology (available on the mighty Merge Records in the US), it struck me as odd that while the first disc is a near-complete selection of pre-Vehicle material, they omitted this track, which I've always enjoyed quite a bit. Flying Nun enthusiasts should check out the Very Short Films DVD which contains a video of a very youthful Clean goofing to "Anything Could Happen."
Song of the Day: January 7, 2005
Home recording ca. early 90s
It's truly hard to believe Kevin Hickel once existed. Influenced by eccentrics like Robyn Hitchcock and Paul Roland on one hand, jangle pop bands like the Church and Game Theory on the other, and trippy psychedelia like the UK Kaleidoscope and Plasticland on the third, this retiring Lawrence, Kansas songsmith began his journey as a member of a jangle-drone pop band called Everywhere. Eventually, he retreated into home recording, producing a score and then some of variously-hued gems. The only one ever made available to the wider public was a cover of "Hands On You" for Raspberries Preserved (A Tribute). It was a rare treat to catch Mr. Hickel at an open mic night or acoustic show, acompanying his strange tales on his impeccably picked Ovation 12-string. This disquieting little ditty is among his finest. Like the pop magician he is, Mr. Hickel seems to have disappeared into thin air. But watch out for Arnald Paul...
Song of the Day: January 6, 2005
TDS Records 45, 1978
An honest-to-goodness chart hit in the UK. A friend who knows as much about the subject as anybody once implied that these guys were sort of the UK equivalent of the Knack; they had a hit record, were sort of regarded as a definitive power-pop band, and then much scorn was heaped upon them. To my ears though, this disc is far superior to "My Sharona." The punky sneer of the vocal cannot hide the fact that the melody is distinctly McCartney-ish; slowed down and spit-shined this could have been a Wings single from the Venus and Mars era. Two other 45s exist (although one was never officially issued), but despite the hit single, they never got to make a full-length album.
Addenda: I stand corrected. There were actually four Tonight singles, as pointed out by Steve Mitchell of Low Down Kids fame. Steve knows more than anybody I know about UK punk/indie/powerpop and related subjects. Plus he's courteous, possessed of a ready wit, probably quite handsome (though I've never actually seen him), and he writes better than I do, too. So go have a look at his site. Wow! Only six days before the first factual error turned up. More to come, I'm sure.
Song of the Day: January 5, 2004
From Sandbox, Rockville Records CD, 1993
An Australian immigrant with a pile of great songs, Erik Voeks followed two singles on the Bus Stop Label with a stunning LP. Having fallen in with the Champaign/Urbana pop Mafia (members of Pop the Balloon, Blown, Twiggy, Turning Curious, and Weird Summer appear, as does Adam Schmitt) Voeks effortlessly smacked pitch after pitch over the wall, only to disappear when the album was almost universally ignored. Voeks surfaced one more time for a 1997 single on Parasol Records, but this gifted and humane songwriter has apparently been dormant since then.
Song of the Day: January 4, 2005
Dig Records 45, 1967. Available on
Teenage Shutdown: Teen Jangler Blowout LP/CD
Imagine that the Stones are hanging out after playing a US tour date in late 1965. Jim McGuinn and a couple of other Byrds drop by to express their admiration. Warm conversation ensues. Much wine and copious amounts of other substances are consumed. Instruments are passed around. A drunken Jim spends 10 minutes trying to tune a borrowed 12-string before giving up. Jamming commences. A song is quickly improvised and recorded for the amusement of all who deem it "a good laugh." A year or so later the tape is found in a bus station locker and released on a small Florida label under a fake name. That's what I think happened. Mr. Cat loves that clackin' rhythm guitar. Oh, and I should mention the Teenage Shutdown series of 60s garage compilations. While the volume cited above is one of my very favorites, most of them are extremely solid. You could do worse than to buy them all. If your local record dealer doesn't have 'em, try Crypt Records Mailorder.
Song of the Day: January 3, 2005
Convulsive Records 45, 1981
Strange postpunk musings. "I disembowel myself to please her/She keeps the pieces in the freezer." This has perhaps the best spoken intro I can think of other than Gonn's "Blackout Of Gretely," and Mickey likes to do Devo jumps on those punches. This seems to be as good a place as any to hype Hyped 2 Death, where the kindly wizard Mr. Chuck Warner is slaving away in his laboratory to make old punk and related tracks like this one available (It's on Messthetics #7). One of the coolest developments in re-issues imaginable, and an unfathomable amount of music that is never less than interesting.
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