Camper Van Beethoven: “Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart” (2014 re-issue) CD Review

Omnivore Recordings is reissuing a couple of excellent Camper Van Beethoven albums, including Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart. It’s a total treat to revisit this music. And the re-issue includes plenty of bonus tracks, including several that were previously unreleased. Also, there are new liner notes with several photos.

This album was originally released in 1988, when I was sixteen and constantly looking for good music. It was the year of my first Grateful Dead concert (later, in 1994, I’d see David Lowery’s other band, Cracker, open for the Dead a few times). It was also a time when pop music was largely horseshit, and you sometimes had to search to find songs that meant anything. Stuff on the radio at this time included Billy Ocean, Poison, Paula Abdul, Tiffany, Whitney Houston, Salt-N-Pepa, New Kids On The Block, and Exposé. It was a rough time. But fortunately there were bands like Camper Van Beethoven to balance things out. This band always seemed fearless to me, dipping into various genres and singing precisely what they wanted. And hell, that meant something. You know? This band also has a sense of humor, but refrains from silliness. It's that their unusual perspective often comes across as humorous, something which I appreciate. For example, check out “Tania,” their song about Patty Hearst (“Tania” was the name Patty used during her time with the SLA).

“Eye Of Fatima”

Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart kicks off with “Eye Of Fatima (Pt. 1),” a great burst of pop-rock with unusual lyrics (well, unusual for the typical band, not for Camper Van Beethoven): “And this here’s a government experiment/And we’re driving like hell/To give some cowboys some acid/And to stay in motels/We’re going to eat up some wide open spaces/Like it was cruise up the Nile/Take the hands off the clock/We’re going to be here for a while.”

I like “Eye Of Fatima (Pt. 2)” even more. It begins with this great, repeated, intense acoustic rhythm, then suddenly kicks in with exuberant force. It’s an excellent instrumental track.

There are a couple of other instrumental tracks on this album, including the rock song “Waka” and the wonderfully strange, strangely wonderful track “The Fool.” All aboard the Camper Van Beethoven carnival ride.

“O Death”

The band tackles a traditional tune, “O Death,” giving a great, slow, haunting rendition. Their version is quite a bit different from other versions I’ve heard, with some different lyrics. The violin is what really makes me love this version.

“Turquoise Jewely”

“Turquoise Jewelry” was always one of my favorites, partly because of the sneer in David’s vocals. “Come down from your treehouse condominium/And start driving around that station wagon with the wood on the side/And take off that jumpsuit, you look like Grace Slick/Staying up all night and drinking that 7-Eleven coffee.” The song has a bright power, which always hits me just right. This was, and is, a good one to turn up. Plus, I dig those drums.

“Change Your Mind”

My favorite track of this album is the playful acoustic number, “Change Your Mind.” It has a nice long instrumental intro, and just when you’re settled into it, the vocals begin. I absolutely love the lyrics: “Though the moon may cross from horizon to horizon/Change your mind, you can change your mind/I’ll be glad to let you, even if you walk away.” There is something beautiful about this song.

I also love “Never Go Back.” It has a wonderful, upbeat feel, and some good lyrics.  “There might come a time when things between us get just a little bit too weird/We’ll move to different cities for a temporary vacation, but it’s just as you feared/Never go back.”

The original album concludes with another highlight, “Life Is Grand.” This song has some great lyrics: “And love is real/And though I realize this is not a deep observation/To those of you who find it necessary to conceal love, or obscure it, as is the fashion.”

Bonus Tracks

There is more than a half-hour of bonus material, including covers and live tracks. The first few bonus tracks were included on Life Is Grand, the second of which is an excellent cover of The Buzzcocks’ “Harmony In My Head” (The Buzzcocks are another of my favorite bands). Never being afraid of juxtaposition, that punk tune is followed by a wonderful cover of Herb Alpert’s “Wade In The Water.”

There are several live tracks recorded in 1988 and previously unreleased. The first is that delightful tune, “The Day That Lassie Went To The Moon,” recorded in Connecticut. The other five live tracks were all recorded in Massachusetts. They cover The Damned’s “Smash It Up” and Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome” (with a bit of Ringo Starr's "Photograph" thrown in for good measure), as well as do original tunes “One Of These Days” and “Seven Languages.”

The CD concludes with “Pope Festival,” an odd tune originally included on At Diane’s Place.

CD Track List

1. Eye Of Fatima (Pt. 1)
2. Eye Of Fatima (Pt. 2)
3. O Death
4. She Divines Water
5. Devil Song
6. One Of These Days
7. Turquoise Jewelry
8. Waka
9. Change Your Mind
10. My Path Belated
11. Never Go Back
12. The Fool
13. Tania
14. Life Is Grand
15. Love Is A Weed
16. Harmony In My Head
17. Wade In The Water
18. Eye Of Fatima Pts. 1 & 2
19. The Day That Lassie Went To The Moon (live)
20. One Of These Days (live)
21. Smash It Up (live)
22. Seven Languages (live)
23. Kodachrome (live)
24. Hanging Around (live)
25. Pope Festival 

This special re-issue of Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart is scheduled to be released on February 4, 2014 through Omnivore Recordings. Also scheduled for release on that day is the re-issue of Key Lime Pie, which also has several bonus tracks. Both will also be available on vinyl.

The Brian Kinler Band at Don't Tell Mama, 1-18-14 (Photos)

The Brian Kinler Band did an excellent show last night at Don't Tell Mama in West Hollywood, California. Before "Makes Me Smile," Brian told the story of meeting his partner at that very venue thirteen years ago. So yes, it was that kind of special night. Early in the set they played a few songs from the latest CD, Not Your Everyday Amateur, including "Open All Night," "The Fall" and "Mama's Gumbo Pot." Francesca Capasso joined the band on vocals for several songs, including "Lady Marmalade," and those tunes were among the many highlights of the night. (Geez, she even made "Happy Birthday To You" sound good, when she sang it a cappella to three people who were celebrating birthdays.) The band did a seriously fun version of "Don't Leave Me This Way," with a nice jam.

Here are a few photos from the night:

Erica Blinn: “Lovers In The Dust” (2014) CD Review

I knew I would dig Erica Blinn when I read an interview in which she mentioned that one of the films she returns to over and over is Harold And Maude, my favorite film of all time. Of course, that doesn’t really give any indication of what her music would sound like (she is nothing like Cat Stevens). Her new CD, Lovers In The Dust, is full of great, straight-forward country-rock vibes and some excellent vocals. Erica also plays a mean harmonica. All the tracks on Lovers In The Dust are originals.

The album gets off to a great start with a fun, energetic country-rock-pop gem, “Whiskey Kisses.” This is the song that really got me interested in her. Her vocals have the right amount of drive mixed with a sort of yearning. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “I can’t go another day without you/I hate to admit it, but baby I’m a mess/And I’m so sorry that I doubted you/Now I’m wondering what happens next.”  I’m also keen on the work on keys by Kevin Sweeney. This is one of the CD’s best tracks, and the album also ends with a brief reprise of this tune.

“Let’s Give Love” has more bright country-rock vibes. I especially like it when she belts out the lyrics. She has a certain power, and when she lets loose, the song has almost a celebratory feel. It lifts you up, in spite of lyrics like, “When life moves fast, love don’t last/Maybe we’ll get lucky, but I don’t think that’s the case.”

“Sexy Mess” opens strongly, with a steady pounding beat and some great work on harmonica. The song then relaxes slightly when Erica’s vocals come in. It has more of a pop vibe on the verses, its rhythm and sound in the realm of a group like the Go-Go’s. I really dig the short section with bass and drums and just the repeated line, “My heart is pounding.” It’s a nice little punk moment, and it leads back to some wonderful harmonica and great energy. This is a fun track, one of my favorites.

There are some mellower vibes on “Need Somebody Tonight,” which features some sweet work on harmonica. Devon Allman plays lead guitar on this track. “And I’m just sitting on this couch waiting for the phone to ring/And I’m singing to anyone who’s listening/That I need somebody tonight.” And we can all relate to these lines at some point or another: “I turn the stereo on, makes me think of him/It plays all the songs that we used to dance to/I’m not in the mood, don’t want to hear them again.”

My favorite song on this album is “How Lucky I Am.” It begins as a softer, more acoustic tune, but still enters the pop realm, with a catchy rhythm. It’s a sweet love song, and Erica’s vocals have a beauty, even an innocence that’s not so apparent or prominent on other tracks. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “And now you’re holding my heart in your fist/And I hope you never let go/So if you see me staring at you/And it looks like I’ve lost my mind/You can bet I have/Baby, I’m your biggest fan/And I’m just thinking about how lucky I am.” This track really stands out. It’s an earnest and adorable love song, and I like it more and more each time I listen to it.

She follows it with a kick-ass, demanding, high-energy tune, “Home,” one to get you moving. This one features more nice work on harmonica. Someday I’m going to make a mix CD of songs titled “Home.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard a bad tune with that title. “I want you to come home.”

The title track, “Lovers In The Dust,” opens with lines that make me smile: “Found my name and number penned on that bathroom wall/I think it said I’m a slut, but I can’t recall/She didn’t say it to my face, ain’t got the guts/Somehow I keep forgetting that she’s better than us.” A nice intro, right? I really like the lyrics of this one. Sure, it also has a good beat, but it’s the lyrics that really drive this song. “Life is way too short/Everybody lets you know/And in the same breath they say you should take it slow.” And it also has some “Ooh la la” vocals.

CD Track List

1. Whiskey Kisses
2. Let’s Give Love
3. Let Me Be Yours
4. Sexy Mess
5. Need Somebody Tonight
6. Pull The Trigger
7. How Lucky I Am
8. Home
9. Lovers In The Dust
10. Choices
11. One Of These Days
12. Whiskey Kisses (Reprise)

Lovers In The Dust is scheduled to be released on January 28, 2014 on Curry House Records.

Ten Albums That Have Stayed With Me

A friend of mine sent me a message on Facebook with a list of ten albums that, as he put it, had stayed with him "in some fundamental way." He asked me to write my own list. As you know, I love making lists. I just can't help myself. So here is my list. These are not my ten favorite albums (though at least two of them would be on that list as well). These are ten albums that have meant a lot to me over the years for various reasons. And I've included a short explanation of each album's personal significance. Music has always played an important part in my life, so this list isn't complete or anything. There are so many other albums that have been important. Also, the order in which they're presented is basically how they occurred to me, not the order of importance or anything. Okay, enough rambling. Here is the list.

1. The Monkees: More Of The Monkees

My mom surprised me when she bought a used copy of this record for me one day when I was really young. I was already a big fan of the television show, but hadn't realized that there were actually records available. This is not my favorite Monkees album, but it was my first, and so holds a special place in my collection. Also, it has the song "Laugh," one that most people don't seem to care for, but which I have always loved.

2. Star Wars Soundtrack 

I sat in my dad’s den, listening to this record over and over, with the liner notes opened on my lap in front of me. The movie is what got me interested in film, and the music is just fucking great. In fact, I have no clear memories before Star Wars. My earliest memory is seeing an ad for Star Wars on television, and telling my parents that I wanted to go see it.

3. Grateful Dead: American Beauty

This was not the first Grateful Dead record I ever bought – that was Workingman’s Dead – but it is my favorite. It includes my favorite song of all time, “Ripple.” In fact, this entire album is just perfect. I love every song, and I could listen to this record all day long.

4. Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man

This was the first Leonard Cohen album I ever bought. It’s not my favorite, and in fact features the only Leonard Cohen song that I actually dislike (“Jazz Police”), but it’s what really started my total love for this songwriter. It features "Everybody Knows" and "Tower Of Song."

5. Ellis Paul: Say Something

When I was seventeen, I saw Roger McGuinn in concert. The opener was Ellis Paul. It was his first show. After the concert, I went to talk with Ellis rather than Roger, and that was the beginning of my passion for his music. Say Something was his third album, but his first CD, and it has some wonderful songs. I think this was the album that really helped to expand his audience. I always loved "Washington D.C. 5/91."

6. Cream: Disraeli Gears

When my seventh grade teacher realized I was a Cream fan, I realized I could get away with a lot of shit in class because now we had a special bond. I’ve always loved Ginger Baker’s drumming, and this album is still fantastic. In high school, I was lucky enough to see Jack Bruce perform in concert, and he did some Cream songs.

7. John Cougar: American Fool

My first concert was Heart, and John Cougar was the opener. American Fool had just been released, and I loved the record. John Cougar opened the show with “Thundering Hearts,” one of my favorites. That was in 1982. I was ten years old. This also marked my first concert T-shirt, though I remember some of the kids teasing me the next day because I was wearing a shirt that said "American Fool." They hadn't quite yet discovered music or understood the concept of a concert shirt.

8. Culture Club: Colour By Numbers
Colour By Numbers was the first record a girl ever bought for me, when I was eleven years old. That alone makes it important in my life. But also, these songs are really good. I remember the “Karma Chameleon” video played all the time, and I never tired of it. I still love this album.

9. Josh Lederman Y Los Diablos: It’s A Long And Lonely Time Until The Train Will Bring You Home
My brother bought this CD for me. I had never heard of the band, and I put it in my CD player, and within approximately fifteen seconds I was completely in love with these guys. Later they played at my brother’s bachelor party. And I saw them as often as I could (which was difficult, as they never toured). This was one of my three favorite bands to see in concert (the other two being Grateful Dead and The Peak Show). This CD's opening track, "Four In The Morning," is one of my favorite songs of all time.

10. The Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Out
My uncle bought this album for me, and it was a complete surprise. We hadn’t talked about jazz or anything. I was still a kid, and my uncle was still relatively new to the family at that point. I felt that this gift showed that he respected me in some way, maybe even understood me, which is important (even shocking) when you're a kid. Of course, the album features the fantastic “Take Five.” I always love listening to it. 

Okay, that's my list. Please feel free to leave a comment with your own list if you'd like.

The Monkees: “The Monkees Present Deluxe Edition” (2013) Disc 1 CD Review

The Monkees Present was the penultimate Monkees album during the band’s original run, and the last of those to feature Michael Nesmith. (Changes would feature just Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones.) It was released in October of 1969, and though it is not their best album, it still has plenty of seriously good material, including “Mommy And Daddy” and “Listen To The Band.” Rhino released a three-disc Deluxe Edition in August of 2013, and apparently this is the final Monkees album scheduled to receive such a treatment (no luck for poor Changes, though I hope Rhino changes its mind on that score). The box set includes three discs, a 7-inch (“Good Clean Fun” and “Mommy And Daddy”) and a book.

Original Stereo Album

The first disc features the original stereo album, as well as lots of bonus tracks. And while the album isn’t as good as Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn And Jones Ltd. (my personal favorite Monkees record), it still has some excellent songs. “Bye Bye Baby Bye Bye” is one of The Monkees tunes that most often gets stuck in my head. It’s a great tune, written by Micky Dolenz and Ric Klein. This album also features some excellent material from Michael Nesmith, including the fun, quirky “Never Tell A Woman Yes” and of course the album’s most famous track, “Listen To The Band” (a song which provided a Monkees box set with its title).

There are also a couple of Boyce and Hart tracks, including the nice little rock number “Looking For The Good Times,” with Davy Jones cutting loose on lead vocals, and the odd and totally delightful “Ladies Aid Society,” with Davy again on lead.

My favorite track from The Monkees Present is “Mommy And Daddy,” one of the most interesting tunes the Monkees ever recorded. Written by Micky Dolenz, this song still has a certain power. The earlier version, with some different lyrics, gives a harder punch, but I do love this official version’s concluding lines: “Don’t be surprised if they turn and walk away/And tell your mommy and daddy that you love them anyway.”

The original album ends with “Pillow Time,” a strange, jazzy lullaby sung by Micky.

Bonus Material

The first disc contains plenty of bonus material, including several tracks that were previously unreleased, such as stereo mixes of “Time And Time Again” and “If You Have The Time,” both written by David Jones and Bill Chadwick (the latter a wonderful tune with the lines, “I know that I’ll get over you if I have to/But do I have to”).

Two of the best bonus tracks are previously unreleased versions of Michael Nesmith songs – “The Crippled Lion” and “Carlisle Wheeling.” There is also a previously unreleased extended version of “French Song” and a great stereo mix of the energetic “Rose Marie.”

Also included is a stereo mix of “Steam Engine,” a fun song I always loved. (I had it on some compilation cassette when I was a kid; that version is on the second disc.) Interestingly, “Kicking Stones” was originally released as “Teeny Tiny Gnome” on a couple of earlier Monkees compilations.

The first disc concludes with a 1969 stereo mix of “Circle Sky,” originally issued on Monkee Flips. This is a really great version of one of the band’s coolest tunes. Actually, there is a thirtieth track, not listed in the book’s track list though listed on the Rhino site, a Kool Aid commercial jingle (which is two minutes long).

CD Track List

1. Little Girl
2. Good Clean Fun
3. If I Knew
4. Bye Bye Baby Bye Bye
5. Never Tell A Woman Yes
6. Looking For The Good Times
7. Ladies Aid Society
8. Listen To The Band
9. French Song
10. Mommy And Daddy
11. Oklahoma Backroom Dancer
12. Pillow Time
13. Time And Time Again (1969 Stereo Mix)
14. Down The Highway (1969 Stereo Mix)
15. Steam Engine (1969 Stereo Mix)
16. If You Have The Time (1969 Stereo Mix)
17. Angel Band (1969 Stereo Mix)
18. Rose Marie (1969 Stereo Mix)
19. I Never Thought It Peculiar (1969 Stereo Mix)
20. Of You (1969 Stereo Mix)
21. Kicking Stones (1969 Stereo Mix)
22. If I Knew (Bill & Davy’s 1969 Stereo Mix)
23. The Crippled Lion (1969 Stereo Mix)
24. My Storybook Of You (Tommy & Bobby’s 1969 Stereo Mix)
25. Carlisle Wheeling (Version Three – 1969 Stereo Mix)
26. French Song (Stereo LP Master with Extended Ending)
27. Hollywood (Version One – 1969 Stereo Mix)
28. My Storybook Of You (“New” 1969 Stereo Mix)
29. Circle Sky (“New” 1969 Stereo Mix)

The Monkees Present Deluxe Edition was released on August 13, 2013 through Rhino. I’ll be posting separate reviews of the second and third discs.