Pop

Favorites of the Week:

David Bowie: “Hunky Dory”

John Bennett: Rug Burn I sell this CD here at OYB. Bennett is one of the last living Beats. He’s published tons of great stuff with his Vagabond Press; he’s been published a bunch; he’s never relented from his talent or candid exploration of himself and America: that’s why he’s still a window-washer in his 60’s. He invented the ‘shard’ genre and on this CD reads a bunch of his shards. A local trip-hop band then played over his reading tracks. They said it was totally easy to do it due to John’s strong natural rhythm. The result is a fine lyric and dance-beat combination.

A two-CD set of hot alt-country tunes from bands launched by Bloodshot Records of Chicago. This label started the whisky-country revival and anti-Nashville country-punk movement. True-spirit honky-tonk music hits the big city. They launched several great VOICES as well. Singing and playing are talents that CAN go with hard-driving music.

The Mavericks: Super Colossal Hits We learned about them from their hip-hop tinged version of Hot Burrito #1 on the Gram Parsons tribute CD. Super sexy! Passion, heart. So we got this. It’s a fine CD from a “big guy” Tex-Mex crooner with a big-band cool shuffle dance sound behind him.

Natalie Merchant: House Carpenter’s Daughter She’s a famous gal who doesn’t need my help, but this might be a sleeper record for her. Yet it’s about her best. Her early 10000 Maniacs stuff is fine, but man she really hits her solo stride with this’un. Her cover of “Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow” is supreme. (It’s one of our little girl’s faves and if something catches her you know it’s good.) This CD is a collection of uncommon covers of new and old traditional songs done very well.

Nino Rota: “Film Music”

The Band

Frank Allison & the Odd Sox: “Pig Out”

The Jet Age Genius of Goober and the Peas

The Best of the Gap Band— the sweatiest, funkiest disco band of the 70’s. A driving yet melodic beat.

The Shaggs— The worst band ever and thus one of the greatest. A classic cult fave. The bad beats and lack of tuning and missing many notes somehow turns out great. It’s the ultimate high-school band gone bad. And yet the darn stuff WORKS. Its butt off! It’s basically a girl band, with a dad and brother(?) sometimes chiming in. The recording at the gym dance is sublime. Complete with echo and floor squeaks and talking over the band. At least one gym dance band HAD to be recorded and this is it!