10-Song Introductions: Pulp

Getting into an artist, especially an established one, is no easy task. There's often a daunting amount of material to sift through, along with the possibility of being called a bandwagon jumper. With this feature, I'll try to introduce you to the best aspects of an artist, with the hope that you'll hear something you like.

Pulp are (were):
Jarvis Cocker (vocals)
Candida Doyle (keyboard)
Mark Webber (guitar)
Steve Mackey (bass)
Russell Senior (guitar/violin)
Nick Banks (drums)

1. Common People
Truth be told, a "10-Song Introduction" to Pulp is a bit unnecessary given the undeniable brilliance of their released singles. The compilation "Hits" collects these singles into one incredible package and is a great place to start for any aspiring Pulp fan. Standing at the forefront of those singles is "Common People", which is not unlike "Like a Rolling Stone" in several ways--it's simultaneously one of the groups's best and most well known songs, and it tackles potent issues of class and identity:

Rent a flat above a shop, cut your hair and get a job.
Smoke some fags and play some pool, pretend you never went to school.
But still you'll never get it right
'cos when you're laid in bed at night watching roaches climb the wall
If you call your Dad he could stop it all.

Besides being a massive tune, the ability of people to relate to the story of an upper-class girl "slumming it" at an English art school is what made this a Britpop anthem. But the idea of class is not only a European concern--contrary to what American politicians might have you believe. As culture and the arts increasingly become an elites-only game in the US, Jarvis Cocker's diatribe against a posh girl from Greece only becomes more relevant.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

2. Disco 2000
Probably Pulp's second most recognizable song, this is a wistful, upbeat tale of unrequited love and nostalgia. Behind the narrator's longing is a deep sadness and even desperation. Cocker sings about how he and a girl lived very different lives--she was the beautiful girl down the street and he was the awkward kid who knew her through family. What's even sadder is how Cocker still longs for her even as a grown man:

What are you doing Sunday, baby?
Would you like to come and meet me, maybe?
You can even bring your baby.

This being Pulp, these stalker-ish sentiments are bathed in the warm glow of "Gloria"-aping pop, underpinned by a (what else) disco beat. On paper, it sounds terrible. Coming through one's speakers, however, it's a totally different animal: It's the kind of absurd amalgamation that only Pulp in their golden period were capable of.


3. I Spy
A lot of people have difficult childhoods. They live in fear and wallow in high school obscurity, seeing their obvious wit and brilliance go unnoticed by the pretty girl who is more interested in the school soccer star. Most of those people grow up and move on. Not Jarvis--he gets revenge.

But we're not talking revenge in the angst-y, Marilyn Manson/Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" sense of the word. No, Jarvis knows that the best revenge is returning to that small town and seducing that pretty girl (now middle aged) while the former soccer star (now fat and balding) is away at his office job:

You see you should take me seriously.
Very seriously indeed.
Cause I've been sleeping with your wife for the past sixteen weeks,
smoking your cigarettes,
drinking your brandy,
messing up the bed that you chose together.
And in all that time I just wanted you to come home unexpectedly one afternoon,
and catch us at it in the front room.
You see I spy for a living,
and I specialise in revenge,
on taking the things I know will cause you pain.
I can't help it,
I was dragged up.
My favourite parks are car parks,
grass is something you smoke,
birds are something you shag.
Take your "Year in Provence"
and shove it up your arse.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

4. A Little Soul
Another Pulp concoction of seemingly disparate elements--John Cougar Mellencamp guitar, lyrics about a dad telling his young son not to become a depraved bastard like him--that the band turns into a true thing of beauty. On the album "This is Hardcore", Jarvis has several tearjerker lines, but none as heartbreaking as this:

You look like me
but you're not like me I know.
I had one, two, three, four shots of happiness.
I look like a big man but I've only got a little soul.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

5. This is Hardcore
Late-period Britpop saw a host of troubling musical developments as artists tried to keep things fresh, one primary tactic being the introduction of long songs. The longer, the more poignant, they would have us believe. "This is Hardcore", however, is one of the few diamonds in that rough. Yes it's long, but it's long for a reason. Jarvis' epic analogy of fame and porn, accompanied by an excellent video, made this one of the best songs of the late 90s.


6. Razzmatazz
Nobody does the scorned lover routine quite like Jarvis. In his bitterness, he's not beyond waiting months or even years to see that ex-girlfriend lose her looks and fall on hard times. Come on, it doesn't get more petty than this:

You started getting fatter three weeks after I left you
Now you're going with some kid looks like some bad comedian
Are you gonna go out, are you sitting at home eating boxes of Milk Tray?
Watch TV on your own, aren't you the one with your razzmatazz
and your nights on the town?
Oh-oh-oh And your father wants to help you doesn't he babe?
But your mother wants to put you away
Now no-one's gonna care if you don't call them when you said
And he's not coming round tonight to try and talk you into bed
And all those stupid little things they ain't working
Oh they aren't working at all

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

7. Babies
While this is far from this reviewer's favorite Pulp song, no introduction would be complete without it. "Babies" is Jarvis in storytelling mode, and represents perhaps the most engaging narrative he's ever committed to tape. The subject matter would seem trivial, if not downright sleazy: a teenage Jarvis watching his girlfriend's older sister make it with boys in her room. But Jarvis pulls the whole story off with wit and yes, innocence ("I only went with her 'cause she looks like you") so that he comes off as more endearing than perverted. Live versions of this song were often prefaced with one of Jarvis' lengthy monologues--an underrated aspect of Pulp's appeal as a live act.

8. Live Bed Show
Like "I Spy", this song represents the darker side of Pulp's defining album "Different Class", both musically and thematically. As Russell and Candida set a gloomy stage behind him, Jarvis sings about love gone wrong, cleverly wrapping the story around the couple's bed:

She doesn't have to go to work,
but she doesn't want to stay in bed,
cos it's changed from something comfortable,
to something else instead.

9. Dishes
According to Jarvis, he wrote this song after hearing the theory that men raised in the West go through a mid-life crisis at 33 because they realize they won't be Christ. Originally seeming like little more than an afterthought than a full-fledged song, "Dishes" blossoms into a beautiful climax:

And aren't you happy just to be alive?
Anything's possible.
You've got no Cross to bear tonight.
No not tonight.
No not tonight.



10. Sunrise
With Pulp having lost a good deal of their commercial mojo with "This is Hardcore", the British press falsely assumed that the band had lost most of their creative fire as well. That couldn't be farther from the truth: the band's final effort, "We Love Life", is remarkably consistent and just as artistically bold as its predecessors. Produced by legendary cult crooner Scott Walker, the album is full of big booming percussion and has a more acoustic feel than previous Pulp records. The album's closer, and high-point, is "Sunrise", an admission from Jarvis that he has squandered his youth:


I used to hate the sun because it shone on everything I'd done.
Made me feel that all that I had done was overfill the ashtray of my life.

It ends with a dizzying guitar freak-out led by Mark Webber and sometimes guest guitarist (and now bona fide solo artist) Richard Hawley. It's an exhilarating final glimpse of a band frequently misunderstood, yet unfailingly brilliant.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

[Band Wiki]

10-Song Introductions: Belle and Sebastian

Getting into an artist, especially an established one, is no easy task. There's often a daunting amount of material to sift through, along with the possibility of being called a bandwagon jumper. With this feature, I'll try to introduce you to the best aspects of an artist, with the hope that you'll hear something you like.

1. The State I Am In
This perfect example of Stuart Murdoch's wit and knack for a tune introduced Belle & Sebastian to those lucky enough to have heard "Tigermilk" when it was first released. Besides being the opening track on that no-longer rare, yet still much-coveted, debut album, an earlier demo version appears on the "Dog on Wheels" EP. Both are equally good, although if pressed, I'd have to say the EP version gets my vote.

2. Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
A bouncy, upbeat track that sums up the Belle and Sebastian ethos in its opening lines: "Get me away from here I'm dying...paint me a song to set me free...nobody writes them like they used to so it may as well be me." In the hands of a lesser songwriter, such a line could come off as pretentious. With Murdoch, it's more of an 'aww shucks' moment that's helped by a simple fact: it's true.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

3. Sleep the Clock Around
This song has a subtle, insistent momentum to it that's quite unique: Stuart and Isobel Campbell share vocal duties over a bed of keyboards; threadbare, electronic-sounding drums; and some downright weird sounds. This is an interesting tangent for the group, one that they would never duplicate on later recordings. It's a shame, because it's one of their most infectious and endearing pieces.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Influence Note: "Hooligans on E" by Pete Doherty of The Libertines, particularly the version heard on "The Sailor Sessions", bears an unmistakable resemblance to this song.

4. Dirty Dream #2
This upbeat number is possibly the finest moment on "The Boy with the Arab Strap", with the ensemble trying their hand at soul music. A dramatic, if playful, string section floats over a steady backbeat provided by Richard Colburn. Even with Campbell's sumptuous harmonies further contributing to the romantic musical atmosphere, Murdoch can't help being a little devious: "Could you put a name to someone else's sigh? Could you put a face to someone else's eyes?"

5. String Bean Jean
Another highlight from the excellent "Dog on Wheels" EP, this fits the early Belle and Sebastian mode of Murdoch singing like Nick Drake whilst describing his interactions with an eccentric girl. Of course, if as many beautiful, well-read indie girls with pixie haircuts existed as he would have us believe, the world would be a much more interesting place. As it stands, we'll have to settle for Murdoch's colorful imagination:

She asked me "Do I need to lose a bit of weight?"
And I told her "Don't be stupid 'cause you're looking great"
And I call her String Bean Jean because the label on her jeans says
Seven to eight years old - well that's pretty small

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

6. The Boy Done Wrong Again
When it comes to the best B&S ballad, the possibilities are numerous, but this one probably deserves special mention. "Hang your head in shame and cry your life away", Murdoch sings, and many are probably tempted to think he's singing about his sorry lot in life. But that would be a shallow reading of the song's intent--if anything, Murdoch is tenderly poking fun at himself much like Morrissey did in "Please, Please, Please, Let me Get What I Want":

All I wanted was to sing the saddest songs
If somebody sings along I will be happy now

The woodland spring will put the darkness from your thinking
If this town's your sinking ship
Then you know where to jump

7. Judy and the Dream of Horses
This whimsical jaunt rounds out B&S's masterpiece "If You're Feeling Sinister". Even in a band known for its great trumpet solos, Mick Cooke's part here really stands out. Building from a delicate strum into an undeniable toe-tapper, this is a persuasive example of Murdoch's ability to craft big music from limited means. It's also wickedly funny:

The best looking boys are taken
The best looking boys are staying inside
So Judy, where does that leave you?
Walking the street from morning to night
With a star upon your shoulder lighting up the path that youwalk
With a parrot on your shoulder, saying everything when you talk

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

8. I Know Where the Summer Goes
A simple, easy ballad just like its name suggests, this is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful things Belle & Sebastian ever committed to tape. As a b-side to the "This is Just a Modern Rock Song EP", it also represents a time just before the disastrous end of the band's musical winning streak.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

9. I Fought in a War
Another album opener, another whispered intro. Being perhaps the only song on "Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant" to climb the heady heights of the band's previous output, this song is both a high point and the beginning of the end. The conclusion of Belle and Sebastian's virtually unparalleled songwriting run unfolds like a slow-motion car crash over the course of "Peasant"; "War", however, is a marvel: a touching story conveyed with a brilliant melody, it's deceptively simple like all the best B&S songs are.


10. Another Sunny Day
As an infectious burst of jangly pop brimming with spot-on three-part harmonies, this song puts most of its musical brethren on "The Life Pursuit" to shame. The band's unsung hero, guitarist Stevie Jackson, really shines here. Murdoch, meanwhile, tells the story of a doomed love affair--from the first moments to its last throes--like very few are capable of. The song ends on a particularly poignant note:


The lovin is a mess; what happened to all of the feeling?
I thought it was for real; babies, rings and fools kneeling
And words of pledging trust and lifetimes stretching forever
So what went wrong? It was a lie, it crumbled apart
Ghost figures of past, present, future haunting the heart

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

[Band Website]
[Read my review of "Just a Modern Rock Story"]

The Dead Flowers Summer Mix 2007

[Image by Marcel Dzama]

There are a couple rules when composing a summer mix:

Keep it simple.
Trim the fat.
Play the hits.

Download the mix and see if I got it right. Enjoy...

Tracklist:
1. Brian Jonestown Massacre: "The Ballad of Jim Jones"
2. Swervedriver: "The Hitcher"
3. Ash: "A Life Less Ordinary"
4. Foreign Born: "In the Shape"
5. Supergrass: "We Still Need More (Than Anyone Can Give)"
6. The Raveonettes: "Love in a Trashcan"
7. The Rolling Stones: "Loving Cup"

Running Time: 25 minutes

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

10-Song Introductions: Bob Dylan

Getting into an artist, especially an established one, is no easy task. There's often a daunting amount of material to sift through, along with the possibility of being called a bandwagon jumper. With this feature, I'll try to introduce you to the best aspects of an artist, with the hope that you'll hear something you like.

1. Like a Rolling Stone (Highway 61 Revisited)
As I've written previously, "'Like a Rolling Stone' is probably Dylan's crowning achievement, the sort of song you instantly recognize even if you think you've never heard it before." It's a six-minute "I told you so", as Dylan excoriates a unwitting debutante after her fall from grace. Yes, there would seem to be a sense of smugness, of misogynist satisfaction in the singer's voice, but it's really more about a generation coming to terms with its bourgeoisie dreams being shattered by reality. Oh, and the guitar and keyboard work isn't half-bad either.

Listen:

[Download the MP3]

Live:

2. Maggie's Farm (Bringing it all Back Home)
Like its musical twin on "Bringing it all Back Home", "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Maggie's Farm" is dripping with social satire. It takes as its context a farm run by Maggie and her megalomaniac next of kin:

I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.
No, I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more.
Well, I wake in the morning,
Fold my hands and pray for rain.
I got a head full of ideas
That are drivin' me insane.
It's a shame the way she makes me scrub the floor.
I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more...

I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more.
No, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more.
Well, he puts his cigar
Out in your face just for kicks.
His bedroom window
It is made out of bricks.
The National Guard stands around his door.
Ah, I ain't gonna work for Maggie's pa no more.

An early electric version of the song ruffled feathers at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965:


3. Mama, You've Been on my Mind (Bootleg Series #2)
This simple folk song, left off of "Another Side of Bob Dylan" at the last minute, is, for my money, Dylan's finest romantic moment. The sense of longing, of unrequited love, is simply unmatched. That being said, it's all filtered through that trademark Dylan cool and unwillingness to show vulnerability:

Perhaps it's the color of the sun cut flat
An' cov'rin' the crossroads I'm standing at,
Or maybe it's the weather or something like that,
But mama, you been on my mind.

I don't mean trouble, please don't put me down or get upset,
I am not pleadin' or sayin', "I can't forget."
I do not walk the floor bowed down an' bent, but yet,
Mama, you been on my mind.

Even though my mind is hazy an' my thoughts they might be narrow,
Where you been don't bother me nor bring me down in sorrow.
It don't even matter to me where you're wakin' up tomorrow,
But mama, you're just on my mind.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Cover Note: Jeff Buckley does a notable cover version of this song, which can be found on the legacy edition of "Grace" from 2004.

4. My Back Pages (Another Side of Bob Dylan)
As far as Dylan's protest songs go, it's probably between this one and "Blowin' in the Wind" for most inspiring and/or moving performance. While "Blowin' in the Wind" is equally good, I've chosen "My Back Pages" because it's less well known and a bit more world-weary: it's really about Dylan's disillusionment with being a topical "protest" singer in the first place. Dylan subverts the concepts of naiveté and experience as only he can:

In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My pathway led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

5. Masters of War (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan)
Dylan's most succinct indictment of the military-industrial complex and the ideologues in government that rationalize and drive it: one would have to be blind to not see the parallels between this song and current events:

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly..

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

6. Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands (Blonde on Blonde)
This eleven-minute epic is the perfect summation of the fantastic "Blonde on Blonde". It's a sprawling, hypnotic piece that Dylan composed to win the heart of Sara Lownds (the song's title is a play on her name). According to accounts of those in the studio at the time, Dylan gave very rudimentary instructions and then began playing. At several points in the song, you can actually hear the band play as if they believe the song is coming to its conclusion, yet Dylan just keeps singing, verse after eloquent verse:

The kings of Tyrus with their convict list
Are waiting in line for their geranium kiss,
And you wouldn't know it would happen like this,
But who among them really wants just to kiss you?
With your childhood flames on your midnight rug,
And your Spanish manners and your mother's drugs,
And your cowboy mouth and your curfew plugs,
Who among them do you think could resist you?
Sad-eyed lady of the lowlands,
Where the sad-eyed prophet says that no man comes,
My warehouse eyes, my Arabian drums,
Should I leave them by your gate,
Or, sad-eyed lady, should I wait?

Influence Note: Thom Yorke has cited this as one of his favorite songs.

7. Love Minus Zero/No Limit (Bringing it All Back Home)
Easily one of the most tender moments of Dylan's middle period, yet "Love Minus Zero" never seems to get the attention it deserves. This song would lay the groundwork for many an indie ballad in the years to come: the music is a sort of breezy jingle-jangle; the lilting, circular melody is never interrupted by something so trivial as a chorus. The essence of folk rock, in other words.


8. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream (Bringing it All Back Home)
Beginning with a false start and a (rare) crack-up from Dylan, this almost seven-minute absurdist fantasy is a light-hearted counterpoint to some of the heavier songs on "Bringing it all Back Home". After landing in America on the "Mayflower", the narrator gets into trouble:

Well, I rapped upon a house
With the U.S. flag upon display
I said, "Could you help me out
I got some friends down the way"
The man says, "Get out of here
I'll tear you limb from limb"
I said, "You know they refused Jesus, too"
He said, "You're not Him"

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

9. If You See Her, Say Hello (Outtake Version)
Although it will probably get me kicked out of the Bob Dylan fan club, I'll say that I can't stand "Blood on the Tracks", primarily for its production. A ghastly studio sheen obscures what are otherwise powerful songs. Fortunately, we have outtakes like this acoustic version of "If You See Her, Say Hello". Dylan, with more heartbreak and disappointment behind him, revisits the sentiments of "Mama You've Been on my Mind" with a tangible sense of pain in his voice:

I see a lot of people as I make the rounds
And I hear her name here and there as I go from town to town
And I've never gotten used to it, I've just learned to turn it off
Either I'm too sensitive or else I'm gettin' soft.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

10. Ballad of a Thin Man (Highway 61 Visited)
A slow, lurching blues, "Thin Man" was probably Dylan's darkest recording up to that point. An act of metaphorical character assassination, not unlike "Rolling Stone", would seem to be the objective here: "Because something is happening here...But you don't know what it is...Do you, Mister Jones?"

The Freewheelin' Pete Doherty

"The Freewheelin' Pete Doherty" is a compilation I put together using the best bits of the "Shaken and Withdrawn Megamix". My goal was to create a genuine Pete Doherty folk record. I think it turned out pretty well, so I thought I would repost it (it was originally featured on Timeforheroes.net in 2004).

Here's the tracklisting:
Albion
Can't Stand Me Now
Killamangiro
Back from the Dead
Don't Look Back into the Sun
Ha Ha Wall
Blackboy Lane
Hooray for the 21st Century
Conversation Diva
Pipey McGraw
East of Eden
The Whole World is our Playground
Darling Clementine
The Ballad of Grimaldi
There She Goes (A Little Heartache)

Listen to "The Ballad of Grimaldi":

[Download the MP3 Here]

[Download The Session as a .zip file]

Dead Flowers Now Hosting Pete's Latest Acoustic Session (Repost)

Dead Flowers, blessed with gigabytes to burn, is pleased to offer Pete Doherty's latest acoustic session, the "Stookie + Jim Bumfest Demos". Terrible name, great collection of songs.

Tracklist:
1.There she goes (a little Heartache)
2.Crumb begging baghead
3.New love grows on trees
4.Unbilotitled
5.Unstookietitled
6.Carry on up the morning
7.Cuckoo 1440
8.Delivery
9.A fool there was

Listen to "Delivery":

[Download the MP3 Here]

[Download The Session as a .rar file]
[Use Winrar to unpack the file]

From the Shadows: Jimmy Miller

Jimmy Miller is probably best known as the producer of The Rolling Stones on their four iconic albums: Beggar's Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile on Main St. It's true that his reign as the Stones' producer neatly coincided with Mick and Keith's songwriting golden years, but it's difficult to overstate the importance of Miller's mastery of all things percussion in defining that classic Stones sound.

Always ahead of his time, Miller initially became known as a remixer. He took a fine but rather lifeless song by The Spencer Davis Group, "Gimme Some Lovin", and made it move. The same goes for its follow-up "I'm a Man", a song injected with a staggering array of percussive instruments such as maracas, finger cymbals, and congas. While this may have easily devolved into a scenario of throwing a lot of shit at a wall to see what sticks, every piece of percussion used is instead a compliment to the song as a whole: the resulting groove is irresistible.

Listen to "I'm a Man":

[Download the MP3 Here]

After the psychedelic folly of "Their Satanic Majesties Request", The Stones were looking to beef up their sound, to give it some backbone and channel the dark heart of the blues. Thus they turned to the American Miller, the first fruits of this partnership being the single "Jumpin' Jack Flash". Once again, the song moves in a way that makes other rock songs before and since sound limp in comparison. Listen to the way the maracas come in as loudly as anything else at the end of the second chorus and marvel at how the addition of a simple percussion part lifts the song to new heights.

Miller and The Stones' first album collaboration, "Beggar's Banquet", opens with a new high water mark: "Sympathy For the Devil". The percussion on this track is particularly striking: like something from a Latin jazz ensemble rather than a group of white Englishmen, the sheer number of intricate, interlocking rhythms set a new standard for popular music. In my early college years, I had a healthy obsession with jazz and funk, but was scornful of rock because it seemed so ignorant of rhythm. Miller's production on "Sympathy for the Devil" was instrumental in my musical education: it taught me that melody and rhythm are not mutually exclusive. Quite the opposite, actually.

"Sympathy for the Devil" from "Rock n' Roll Circus":

Miller's triumphs are too numerous to all get a mention here, but some cannot be ignored. In what could quite possibly be the only time one could call for "more cowbell" without sounding ironic, he plays the much-maligned instrument on "Honky Tonk Women". Keith Richards, in a fit of late-night inspiration, recruited Jimmy to play drums on "Happy", a crucial track of "Exile on Main St." and Richards' signature tune. Miller is also behind the kit on "You Can't Always Get What You Want", taking over when Charlie couldn't get the hang of the beat: Miller's mastery of syncopation is a vital element of what is arguably one of the best rock songs ever recorded. Also worth mentioning is "Brown Sugar". Listen to the way what sound like castanets skip along with the beat, creating a jauntiness that perfectly accents Jagger's scandalous lyrics. A subtle touch, yes, but an absolutely crucial aspect of the song's appeal.

Listen to "Brown Sugar":

[Download the MP3 Here]

Once in L.A. a producer I knew sneeringly pointed out that "Sympathy for the Devil" ends at a tempo twice that which it starts at, and informed me that, "We don't do it like that anymore". My question was and is, "Why?" These are human rhythms, and they have been lost in an age of ProTools and tempo correction. Jimmy Miller understood the importance of the beat, and for that reason, left his stamp not only on the greatest rock n' roll band ever, but on rock music as a whole.

In My Head, I'm a Rock Journalist

If only because it was collecting dust on my hard drive, I thought I would post excerpts from my rejected 33 1/3 book proposal for The Libertines' "Up the Bracket". Let me know what you think.

Outline:
“Up The Bracket” is simultaneously brilliant and flawed. It represents both a fulfillment of a musical vision and a dashing of hopes. It’s romantic, conflicted, and downright hostile at times.

While early reviews of the album focused on Buzzcocks and Clash comparisons, Pete Doherty is, to me, the true heir to Morrissey and Marr. Carl Barat was his foil; their relationship, reminiscent of that found in “The Severed Alliance”, created the tension seemingly required for British rock groups to reach their creative peak.

I would cover the band from their transformation into “The British Strokes” (a move largely orchestrated by their manager Banny), through the recording and promotion of “Up the Bracket”, and conclude with the night that Pete broke into Carl’s flat: the effective end of the band’s “Arcadian Dream”. Along the way, I’ll discuss how Pete and Carl's tumultuous relationship, the secret gigs, and the outlandish interviews. I’ll put all this in the context of the complex mythology Pete created for himself and the group both in his private diaries (The Books of Albion) and in his half-brilliant/half-delusional message board posts on thelibertines.org forum. This mythology revolved around, among other things, a utopia named “Arcadia”, a ship the band and their fans would sail to this utopia (the Albion), and the sense that he and others were part of a musical community without traditional borders.

Listen to "Up the Bracket" (Live on Lamacq):

[Download the MP3 Here]

In addition, I would like to do a song-by-song breakdown of the album, giving special focus to key songs like “Time for Heroes”, “Horrowshow”, and “The Good Old Days”. At its best, the album is philosophical, poetic, energized, and emotionally unbridled. The tenderness of Pete’s melodies and sentiments, and how they contrast with the guitar attack of Barat and the rock-solid rhythm section of Gary Powell and John Hassal, will also be discussed. As I described it in one review, “The truth is there's never been a British band quite like the Libertines. Where you expect them to thrash through a song, they turn surprisingly sensitive. Where sweetness might be more fitting, Barat, Doherty, Hassal and Powell pummel the song into submission. It's like Morrissey and Marr hired a Motown rhythm section and decided to form a Sex Pistols cover band.”

"Up the Bracket" live on Jools:

What my 33 1/3 book would not concentrate on, unlike most recent literature on Doherty, would be his excessive drug use. By his own account, his crack use began during the recording of “Up the Bracket”. But at least at this time, his drug consumption was a means to an end, not the crippling and sad addiction that it would later become. The goal of this approach would be to avoid confusing Pete’s inherent talent with drug-fuelled delusions; this was the moment just before he spiraled out of control, just before his antics overshadowed his art.

Favorite 33 1/3 Book:
My favorite book in the 33 1/3 series is Bill Janowitz’s “Exile on Main St”. Besides speaking knowledgeably about the arrangements and the recording process, he gives the reader a strong sense of the mythology behind the record and the effect that it has had on successive generations. Even if the mythology is ultimately an illusion, as Janowitz suggests, there is a sort of bittersweet resignation to the power of the legend. There is a sense that even though he was deceived by it, he would fall for it all over again if could. That’s the lasting appeal of the best rock records. “Up the Bracket” by The Libertines definitely falls into this category, and therefore deserves its own book in the 33 1/3 series.

The most fitting way I can end this proposal is with a quote from my live review:

“What in the end, then, draws people to The Libertines? Perhaps it's because through the fog of the pipe, through the throng of hangers-on and opportunists, one can make out some sliver of truth. And maybe love for The Libertines is somehow a form of nostalgia; nostalgia for that sliver of truth that one knows can't last long...and must someday soon disappear forever.”

From the Vaults: Talk Talk

(Originally posted on Glamorama in 2004)

Imagine, if you would, a world without Talk Talk...

Imagine if Radiohead had never made Kid A.
Imagine if DJ Shadow had nothing to sample.
Imagine if Doves and Sigur Ros didn’t exist.

Talk Talk began life as a part of the “New Romantic” genre along with the likes of Duran Duran. Their hit from this incarnation, “It’s My Life”, was recently made a hit again by No Doubt. But their pop beginnings are of little consequence when one considers what they discovered later. After years of living the high life as an 80s pop star, Mark Hollis came off heroin and made two albums of ambient orchestration and lush live instrumentation.

“Spirit of Eden” and “Laughing Stock”, although they were made in 1988 and 1991 respectively, sound better than pretty much anything being before or since. The successful marriage of rock with looser, more abstract jazz structures is second to none. The warm organic feel of guitar, tom drums, harmonica and strings is something numerous groups since have tried to replicate, however unsuccessful they may have been.

“Spirit of Eden” was the true breakthrough. First song “The Rainbow” is an absolute gem, as a slowed down swamp rock section gives way to a choral breakdown that is basically every song Doves have ever written. Second song “Eden” recalls The Velvet Underground’s “Heroin”, and one can be sure that Hollis was on intimate terms not only with that band’s music, but also with the song’s dark subject matter.

Listen to "The Rainbow":

[Download the MP3 Here]

When "Laughing Stock" was released in 1991, it represented a continuation of “Eden”. Considering that "Eden" got the band dropped from EMI, it shows how courageous Hollis really was. After releasing what most fans saw at the time as a cryptic, impenetrable record, he did not return to the band’s pop origins. Rather, he pushed forward with the dazzling new music his group had pioneered. All told, “Laughing Stock” could be even better than “Spirit of Eden”. The ethereal melody of “Ascension Day” floats above an uneasy bed of jazz drumming and noisy guitar. The music repeatedly swells up and then recedes again, offering fleeting glimpses of the song's emotional center. The track “New Grass” would later be sampled by DJ Shadow to form the foundation of Unkle’s “Rabbit In Your Headlights” (incidentally, Hollis would also appear on the album “Psyence Fiction”, playing uncredited guitar on “Chaos”).

Listen to "New Grass":

[Download the MP3 Here]

Discovering the strange and exciting music of latter-day Talk Talk, one thinks back to the early 90s and wonders what he/she could have possibly been listening to that was better than “Spirit Of Eden” or “Laughing Stock”. If you are constantly searching for music that reveals new realms of human experience, that opens up the drawers Salvidor Dali imagined in each person's subconscious, then you will find Talk Talk a revelation. It is beyond rock, beyond pop, and beyond jazz. It carves out its own musical genre, showing us at the same time that such classifications are completely unnecessary.

"I Believe in You" Promo:

10-Song Introductions: The Libertines

Getting into a band, especially an established one, is no easy task. There's often a daunting amount of material to sift through, along with the possibility of being called a bandwagon jumper. With this new feature, I'll try to introduce you to the best aspects of a band, with the hope that you'll hear something you like.

This week's artist: The Libertines

1. "Up The Bracket" ("Up the Bracket" LP)
From the bohemian absurdity of the video, to the slightly awkward pop sensibility of the song (something that many have tried, and failed, to duplicate), this was my proper introduction to the Libs. It's a perfect representation of the band's manic creative energy around the release of their debut album.

2. "Time for Heroes" ("Up the Bracket" LP)
Featuring the finest use of triplets in a long while, this was when many people stood up and took notice. For good reason, too. Match a touch of doomed romanticism ("We'll die in the class we were born--that's a class of our own my love") with the grittiness of The Clash, and you have in less than three minutes what many bands spend a lifetime trying to capture.

3. "The Delaney" ("Up the Bracket" Single)
At first blush, this is a simple pop-punk song. But further investigation reveals guitar work with echoes of Marr, and lyrics with echoes of Reed. Easily the most infectious song The Libertines ever created.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

4. "Don't Look Back Into The Sun" (Babyshambles Sessions)
Although people are probably most familiar with the studio version, the original demos of the song from the Babyshambles Sessions are the real treat. Sounding like a track that was left off of the C86 mixtape, this is a chance for Pete to show-off his indie-pop bonafides.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

5. "Can't Stand Me Now" ("The Libertines" LP)
Another perfect example of why The Libertines' second record should have been the best pure rock record since "Definitely Maybe". Pete had no business writing a bridge so incredible, or lyrics so perfectly poignant: "Cornered, the boy kicked out at the world--the world kicked back, a lot fucking harder."

6. "What Katie Did" ("Babyshambles" B-Side)
There are many versions of this song floating around. The worst being, ironically, the one that appeared on "The Libertines" LP. This song appeared on the original Babyshambles sessions and immediately stood out because of its unabashed pop stylings: "shoop, shoop, shoop de-lang-a-lang".

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

7. "What a Waster" (UK: Single, USA: "Up the Bracket" LP)
The much talked about debut single, this was produced by former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler. Thus, the sound is more intricate guitar-wise, yet lacks some of the punch of the "Up the Bracket" material. Pete makes up for it with an absolutely brilliant vocal which both revives archaic cockney slang and references everything from the Book of Revelations to Ulysses. Truly, only in a Libertines song.

8. "Ha Ha Wall" ("The Libertines" LP)
This is one of Pete's strongest compositions, an early favorite despite not receiving the proper studio treatment until "The Libertines". It turns up on the Babyshambles Sessions, the Sailor Sessions, and the French Sessions. The Smiths influence reveals itself again, paired with a striking lyric: "I've been thieving; I stole the light from the dawn."

9. "The Man Who Would Be King" (Babyshambles Sessions)
This demo of a song that would later appear on "The Libertines" demonstrated a new level of subtlety and complexity, qualities that would mysteriously vanish from the proper studio recording. The song also set impossibly high expectations for the second record, expectations that would be dashed by rushed performances and little-to-no production.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

10. "The Good Old Days" ("Up the Bracket" LP)
This song neatly summed up the Libertines manifesto: "There were no good old days--these are the good old days". A song about triumphing over drug abuse and other calamities, it contains that distinctly Libertines mix of despair and hope.

From the Vaults:Interview with Mr. Razzcocks of The Libertines

(Originally Posted on Timeforheroes.net in 2004)

Through a mutual acquaintance, Timeforheroes.net was fortunate enough to start a correspondence with Paul Dufour, aka Mr. Razzcocks. The original Libertines drummer, Paul's work can be heard on the 'Legs 11' demo. These days, Paul stays busy with a number of recording projects. Here are some highlights from our correspondence:

You've been playing drums for years. What experiences stand out for you?

When I first started gigging at sixteen (I'm fifty-five now--so way back when!), I was working with a band that every week supported The Who (pre 'Pictures of Hilly'), Donovan, Tom Jones, The Hollies, P.J. Proby, The Merseybeats, and a bunch of other bands over a whole summer period. What stands out from that period of music in Britain ('65-'75) was the individuality--the wealth of different musical ideas and approaches, and the sharing of musical ideas--musicians getting together to jam. Fewer musicians and bands work this way now, I suppose because the musical scene is different in England.

What drummers/musicians have had the biggest influence on you over the years?

Drummers? Where do I start! I suppose for me jazz is the highest musical art form, because it involves a high technique, and yet it throws that away and says 'be creative, improvise'. So I hope this doesn't sound snobbish, but I'd have to say Elvin Jones. He died this year at 72, whilst on stage playing! I met Elvin at Ronnie Scott's in London on several occasions--the most wonderful drummer. He was into polyrhythms, or additional rhythms that wrap around a basic rhythm, which give the music a floating effect. That was his style when he was playing with John Coltrane.

I recently completed a CD of world music entitled 'Visions of Rhythm'. This has led me to work with a great percussionist named Mamadi Kamara. We're now working on a track in London at Odessa Studios with Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. It's exciting--Airto has recorded with everyone: Miles, Dizzie, etc.

Technically you're a jazz drummer, so the Libertines connections seems a bit strange. Then again, The "Legs 11" material is quite a bit different than "Up The Bracket"...are you proud of that demo? How did you become involved with the group?

I may be a jazz head, but I've always enjoyed playing a variety of styles–blues, rock. It's all experience!

How did I become involved with the Libs? I'll tell you, but realize you’re one of a lucky few!

I was partner and friend to Gwyn Mathias, a brilliant recording engineer/producer. We met in '75 at Berwick St. Studios--he was working with Cat Stevens and The Sex Pistols. We got together and ran Odessa Studios for five years. Gwyn is still running it. He phoned me one day to come and do three tracks with a young band that had booked studio time. Of course, they'd turned up with no drummer! I turned up and we played through the songs and recorded them. They were rough, but they had a quality that I hadn’t heard in a while–an originality, a freshness, interesting lyrics, and musical angles which sometimes made no sense! That was The Libs.

At this time, there were three songwriters: Pete, Carl and John. I was left with the rhythmical element. I stayed with them for two years or more and in that time I recorded them as much as I could. We worked all the usual free London venues and built up a name. I left when I could afford it no longer--we had no management, etc. Pete and Carl signed to Rough Trade when I left. John isn't involved in that. I still keep in touch with John...

At the moment I have 16 tracks (including masters) of The Libertines while I was the drummer, and I'm thinking about doing something with these. The "Legs 11" stuff is just some of the demos that I sent out for the band to get a deal--somebody, somewhere got hold of that!

Not proud of any of the 'Legs 11' tracks, but compared to 'Bracket'...well, the later stuff just isn't my scene!

Listen to "Anything But Love":

[Download the MP3 Here]

I think a lot of people thought this bit in the Libertines bio:

And they employed a 70 year old drummer called Mr Razzcocks who used to be in The Sex Pistols (that's what he told them anyway).

...was probably just another one of Pete's tall tales. There's always a blurring of fantasy and reality with The Libertines, which makes them more endearing to fans who are on the outside looking in. Is it the same when you're on the inside?

That's just Pete's bullshit! When I knew them they were 20 years old and me 50--it was no problem--and that was the fun of it (no ageism). I’ve always been told 'never work with children or animals’--The Libertines were both!?! Pete, being a very talented wordsmith, always loved creating a mystique!

"Pay the Lady":

Did you leave the group when (former) manager Banny came in and instructed the group to write some 'punchier material', or had you already gone your separate ways? Have you met Gary? If so, what do you think of him as a person and/or drummer?

I was still in the band when Banny Puschti came in--just a young girl without a clue about music, working for Warner Chappell Music and wanting to manage The Libertines?!? I was at the tail-end. I just needed a paying gig, so I left the bullshit behind.

When I left and Pete and Carl signed up with her, she got Gordon Raphael in and said we want you to sound like The Strokes. The rest is familiar--she has been dumped and now Alan McGee is the manager. 'Punchier Material' meant rougher, quicker, fewer and more basic chords. In other words, crap!

I've met Gary once at the reunion gig after Pete got out of prison, so I don't really know him. He seems alright. I believe he uses a kit like mine--a Yamaha Custom Maple. They're a different band with him on drums. I have not ruled out working with them again under the right circumstances. The most recent history is blurred...

So you were at the reunion gig when Pete got out of jail. It seemed like a genuinely touching night. Would you agree?

I wrote to Pete in jail...I hadn't seen him since I left the Libs (1 and a half years?) and was concerned about his circumstances and situation. He sent me a nice return letter and we agreed to do a 'reunion' when he got out. John, being the professional he is, was at the gig early so we could rehearse...we hadn't played together for ages!

Pete and Carl turned up late--we went straight on to an enthusiastic crowd. Lousy sound, scrappy, half-remembered songs and arrangements...but the audience loved it. I played a set of all the songs we used to do when I was the drummer: "Love On The Dole", "Hooray For The 21st Century", "Music When The Lights Go Out, "France", "You’re My Waterloo", etc. A lot of people hadn't heard this stuff at the time. After my set, I came off stage and Gary joined them and did the 'Bracket' stuff.

Listen to "Hooray for the 21st Century":

[Download the MP3 Here]

As it stands now, Pete is in a sort of limbo, and the band are going to doing their touring/promotional commitments without him. What’s your take on Pete’s ongoing problems with drug addiction?

With Pete now--knowing him and reading various stories in the papers--it will go one way or the other. I really hope he can get out of the drug trap--he has a lot of support and a good family, etc. However sometimes it's the industry itself that does not help...the hype, the touring, recording, etc.

If Pete can get away from all that for a while, he may be repaired. I'm just sad about the waste of talent–he's an excellent songwriter and I love him dearly, but sometimes people go too far and there is nothing you can do. It's sad, I know, but let's hope Pete turns it around.

Timeforheroes.net thanks Mr. Razzcocks for taking the time to write to us. All the best Paul!

[The Mr. Razzcocks Official Website]

Dead Flowers Interviews Amiina

Maria Huld Markan, Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir, Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir, and Hildur Ársælsdóttir, together known as Amiina, are a group from Iceland. Their debut LP "Kurr" will be released on March 21st. Many initially got to know the group as Sigur Ros' string section, and they share that band's adventurous approach to music and instrumentation. Listeners who enjoyed the more contemplative sections of "Takk" will find Amiina's music a welcome addition to their library. I spoke to Hildur from the group, who you might have seen playing the saw, among other instruments.

Thanks to Greg at http://aminamusic.com for general assistance and question help. Thanks as well go to the band's manager, Edna Pletchetero, for making the interview possible.

Dead Flowers: You started as a string quartet rather than as a rock band. How has that affected your approach to music?

Hildur: I'd say to some extent, the way we think is very influenced by our classical upbringing. the importance of instrumentation and nuances for instance. and also the fact that we don't depend on one main melody. it's more about layers and weaving independent melodies together. but this isn't classical music we are making, the cords and the structure of alot of the songs are more pop orientated.

DF: Your songs create a very specific mood. Do you set out to evoke certain emotions with your music?

H: Not really. but we seem to be an endless source of melancholy.

Listen to "Blaskjar":

DF: Now, an existential question: Why Amiina? What do you feel you can do in the context of the group that you can't do with Sigur Ros?

H: We have worked with Sigur Rós for a very long time, and had creative input, but we are not in the band. with amiina the process of starting a song from scratch is ours, the direction and the mood of each song is solely in our hands. when we were doing creative work with Sigur Rós it mostly consisted of adding our work to their world of sounds. it's actually two very different things. Although both very enjoyable.

DF: What is your favorite instrument to work with? When on tour, are you constantly on the look out for new instruments?

H: Haha, that's a good question to ask a band with 30 instruments on stage! it probably depends alot on which member you ask, and also on periods. we had a period where we could not make a new song without using our table harps in it, and we ended up traveling with 4 of them everywhere we go. but now everyone is tired of tuning them, so for some reason no one mentions the harps when we are writing new material! the metalophone seems to end up used in every song, and we are all in love with the celest, but that's a rare and expensive instrument, so only when we are lucky enough to borrow one. i think the best answer to the question would probably be that which ever instrument is the newest at any time is the most popular one. today it's probably the nord-compact we just bought to replace the beautiful fragile harmonium on tour.

On tour we don't really have that much time to look out for new instruments. but of course if we get free time and there is a place with interesting stuff nearby, we're very likely to be seen there yes.

Icelandic TV Appearance:

DF: Your songs move at a slower pace than most pop/rock music today; new layers are revealed gradually over the course of each song. Was this approach intentional, or is that just the most natural tempo for you?

H: I guess it's what comes natural for us. usually we don't start out saying:
"ok, let's make a really slow song with many layers". on the contrary, even
if we start out wanting to do a simple, cheerful song, this is what comes
out. we can't help it.

DF: The "Seoul" b-side "Ugla" has vocals on it, while your earlier work was instrumental. How did you decide to incorporate your voices?

H: There are 4 of us on stage, and a lot of the time we are in desperate need of
more hands. because when we are writing and recording, we tend to add more
layers than is physically possible for us to perform with 8 hands. here the
voices come in handy, four layers that don't take away any of the already
working hands. this is at least one of the reasons why we are incorporating
our voices more and more into our songs. but for now, we like to use them
more as additional instruments, rather than a lead melody.

Listen to "Ugla":

DF: You have what one could describe as a 'symbiotic relationship' with Sigur Ros. Some tracks on "Takk" sound very similar to Amiina's music. What do you think the group has learned from you? What have you learned from them?

H: Hmm. i don't know. we have spent a lot of time together, playing together and as friends. and certainly you are influenced by your surroundings to some extent, but i really can't speak on their behalf. And I'm sure they are a big influence on us without us necessarily noticing it, it's eight years since we played the first concert with them. i think working with them and spending so much time in this environment has made us feel certain that you don't have to make music the same way everyone else does. so maybe that played a part in us wanting to start making our own music, i don't know. but then again if they had been the "traditional" pop/rock band we would probably not have lasted this long together.

[Pre-order Amiina's Debut Record, "Kurr"]
[Amiina on Myspace]
[Official Amiina Website]
[Aminamusic.com Fansite]

Tour Dates:
march 21 Madison (Café Montmartre ) tickets
march 22 Minneapolis (The Varsity Theatre) tickets
march 23 Chicago (Lakeshore Theater) tickets
march 25 Cleveland (Cambridge Room, House of Blues) tickets
march 26 Detroit (Magic Bag) tickets
march 27 Toronto (The Music Gallery ) tickets
march 28 Montreal (Le National) tickets
march 30 Philly (World Café Live) tickets
march 31 Boston (The Remis at Museum of Fine Arts) tickets
april 1 DC (9:30 Club) tickets
april 2 NYC (The Wordless Music Series) tickets
april 6 Cincinnati (Cincinnati Now Festival) tickets
april 9 Seattle (Triple Door) tickets
april 10 Portland (Doug Fir Lounge) tickets
april 12 San Francisco (Swedish American Hall) tickets
april 13 Los Angeles (Silent Movie Theatre) tickets
april 14 San Diego (House of Blues-5th Avenue Stage) tickets