From: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org (loud-fans-digest) To: loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Subject: loud-fans-digest V5 #247 Reply-To: loud-fans@smoe.org Sender: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk loud-fans-digest Friday, November 4 2005 Volume 05 : Number 247 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [loud-fans] Jeffrey the Norman's mix - disc 1 ["Stefaan Hurts" Subject: [loud-fans] Jeffrey the Norman's mix - disc 1 I rejoined the Loud-Fans mix swap (an entirely different beast than the Loud-Fans swap, I presume) sometime in the summer of this year, and the first mix I received was a two disc set compiled by the swap meister, Jeffrey Norman. Here's the review of the first disc. Songs get a mark from 0 (worst) to 4 (best). - - The Firesign Theatre: Gas Music From Jupiter! - - Oil Tasters: (I Dont Want To Be An) Encyclopedia Salesman If I hadnt been paying attention to the track numbers, Id be thinking I was still listening to the first track, as track 1 and 2 seem to flow perfectly into one another. The Oil Tasters sound like late seventies/early eighties new wave, with a singer who has more of an interesting than a pleasing voice, but this isnt always a bad thing, as proven by this song. Jumpy saxophone all over the place! Indeed, not something youd expect from an encyclopedia salesman. (2.5 + 3) - - The Rock*A*Teens: Freedom Puff (Good Enough Apparently) This sounded wonderfully manic dramatic, with, I assume, and judging from the bands name, tongue firmly in cheek. (3) - - Joe Henry: Like She Was A Hammer Back and forth rocking rhythm, like it was being played on a boat. Not bad, but Mr. Henrys voice kinda rubs me the wrong way. (2) - - Gentle Giant: Black Cat Gently swaying prog rock with lovely vocal harmonies (make-out music for eggheads?) and, Im guessing here, 20,000 instruments played in under four minutes. (4) - - Six Organs Of Admittance: Khidr And The Fountain Mexican acoustic guitar (although it could very well have been manufactured in a different country!). This goes on for quite a while and reminds me a bit of those drawn out scenes in Serge Leones spaghetti westerns (so called because you could finish a plate of spaghetti before a scene was over). Not sure whats going on between Khidr and the fountain but it sure sounds intriguing. (2.5) - - Led Zeppelin: Black Mountain Side When I was eleven, I had that Stairway To Heaven live album by Led Zeppelin. I think I played it a lot, and yet I cant remember much of it (psychiatrists may have a word for that). Still, this probably sounds like nothing on that album, as it is a pleasant little acoustic ditty. (2.5) - - Catherine Wheel: All Of That Even though Ive never heard this song, it sounded strangely familiar. American Music Club-style melancholica with subdued organ (a-HA!) in the background. Something to play on a lonely/depressed/bored New Years Eve, hoping things will go better next year. (3) - - Dungen: Du E Fvr Fin Fvr Mig Which is, of course, Swedish for do you want some more of that delicious salmon, dear? The name of the band sounds like it could be some church-burning Scandinavian black metal, but this couldnt be further from the truth! Folky/poppy song sung in Swedish, that, after six minutes, suddenly turns into a long lost Chrome song! Neato! For Swedish majors, and in case they didnt get through in this e-mail, the os in the two Fors in the title did indeed have an umlaut in Jeffs track listing. (3.5) - - Spooky Tooth: I Am The Walrus Or, what The Beatles would have sounded like if they were actually Nazareth fronted by a Joe Cocker sound-alike. The original Walrus was perfect, so, unless youre going to do a totally far-out version, doing a cover of this song is a pointless exercise, which will yield no apples and oranges or, dare I say it, any other fruit, for that matter. Of course, one could always argue that Spooky Tooths cover *is* far-out. I think Spooky Tooth was popular when I was a munchkin, as the name sounded familiar, but I always thought they were a disco act! (1) - - Rufus Wainwright: Grey Gardens (live) I know all the girls (and a great deal of boys) think Rufus is cute, but I think his dad is more fun to listen to. (2) - - Ted Leo/Pharmacists: Under The Hedge This is from the new Loud Family album, right? No, wait, its that dude that sounds quite a bit like our Scott. (2.5) - - Einsteins Riceboys: Soda Jerk Just like the Oil Tasters earlier track, this sounds like late seventies/early eighties new wave. Tinny sound with lots of room for the funky bass and jittery guitar, with almost-but-not-quite grating vocals. (2.5) - - Chris Knox: The Joy Of Sex Cool bass, with Chris in the chorus approximating the sounds he makes when he reaches his climax. Or so I imagine. Not that I usually imagine musicians reaching their climax. (2.5) - - The Residents: Make Me Moe Sung by one of the younger Residents. I used to be a big Residents nut and, when I first discovered them, bought their seventies and early eighties output in a matter of weeks, but I must admit that most of their nineties, and later, output sounded rather formulaic and disappointing, with lacklustre tunes and MIDIocre sounding instruments. It seemed like they got back on track with Wormwood and Demons Dance Alone, and, if this track is anything to go by, with their latest album. (2.5) - - Negativland: Happy Hero I tried very hard to come up with something to write about this song, but couldnt. Its a fun listen the first time round, but gets rather boring with each consecutive listen. Still, if theres any justice in this world, some big hat dude in Nashville will make this his novelty song and turn it into a big hit, making Negativland some money in the process. (2) - - Bonzo Dog Band: My Pink Half Of The Drainpipe The Bonzos were great at making humour belong in music, and this song is no exception. A wonderful slice of British suburbia! (4) - - Giant Ant Farm: The Clapper What would happen if the Pixies played at a bar/t mitzvah? (2.5) Review of the second disc very soon, but I would already like to thank Jeffrey for what is a very enjoyable and eclectic mix! :) Toodlepip, - -Stef ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2005 20:26:05 -0600 From: Jeff Norman Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Jeffrey the Norman's mix - disc 1 On 11/3/05, Stefaan Hurts wrote: > I rejoined the Loud-Fans mix swap (an entirely different beast than the > Loud-Fans swap, I presume) Yeah, that latter one for some reason isn't very popular. > - The Firesign Theatre: Gas Music From Jupiter! > - Oil Tasters: (I Dont Want To Be An) Encyclopedia Salesman > If I hadnt been paying attention to the track numbers, Id be thinking > I was still listening to the first track, as track 1 and 2 seem to flow > perfectly into one another. The Oil Tasters sound like late > seventies/early eighties new wave, with a singer who has more of an > interesting than a pleasing voice, but this isnt always a bad thing, as > proven by this song. Jumpy saxophone all over the place! Indeed, not > something youd expect from an encyclopedia salesman. (2.5 + 3) Stef wins the Era-Appropriate Guessing Prize: yep, that's what those guys were. > - The Rock*A*Teens: Freedom Puff (Good Enough Apparently) > This sounded wonderfully manic dramatic, with, I assume, and judging > from the bands name, tongue firmly in cheek. (3) Sort of. I mean, there's a sense of humor, but the drama is pretty real - at least, not a pisstake. > - Led Zeppelin: Black Mountain Side > > - Catherine Wheel: All Of That You got your secret continuity of rhythmic device running between these two tracks, incidentally... > - Einsteins Riceboys: Soda Jerk > Just like the Oil Tasters earlier track, this sounds like late > seventies/early eighties new wave. Tinny sound with lots of room for > the funky bass and jittery guitar, with almost-but-not-quite grating > vocals. (2.5) Indeed - another early eighties band! (Both these folks and the Oil Tasters were from Milwaukee, fwiw. One of the Riceboys was Sheldon Rusch, who's now a mystery writer and yoga instructor. Which is what you'd expect. > Review of the second disc very soon, but I would already like to thank > Jeffrey for what is a very enjoyable and eclectic mix! :) Glad you enjoyed it! - -- ...Jeff Norman The Architectural Dance Society http://spanghew.blogspot.com ------------------------------ End of loud-fans-digest V5 #247 *******************************