Sunday, September 29, 2013
Gas Huffer - One Inch Masters, 1994
Gas Huffer is another artist I've got introduced to through my Prague's favorite Maximum Underground. A garage/punk quartet from Seattle – the mother-town of grunge music. They possess both the great energy and tons of irony blending into the sparkling songwriting - “goofing around” as they put it themselves.
Formed in 1989 and disbanded in 2006, GH is one of those groups which never went through a lineup change. There is something very right in it.
The frontman Matt Wright wouldn't probably get a prize for his vocal talents alone, but that charismatic energy he's putting into the performance generously compensates for all possible lacks. I mean, Mark Knopfler also doesn’t have that much of a voice and still he sounds.
Sincerely brilliant record. What’s In The Bag?, 14th &Jefferson, Stay in Your House, Crooked Bird... - the whole tracklist is outstanding indeed. How many songs do you know about the contents of a bag or discarding an appendix in general? And then how many good ones? These are the ones.
Guess it’s too late to order, but for every album release prior to the 6th album they were creating a comic book which included the lyrics as well. (The bassist Joe Newton is also known as a deputy art director for Rolling Stone magazine by the way). Without those at hand, I managed to scratch together only few tracks’ lyrics from the record - thus would appreciate anyone willing to share some texts.
And just in case someone would care to check on my humble opinion, here goes the rest of them sorted by the level of personal appeal:
One Inch Masters, 1994 - see above.
The Inhuman Ordeal of Special Agent Gas Huffer, 1996 - Tiny Life is a gem.
Lemonade for Vampires, 2005 - more serious, still wild.
Just Beautiful Music, 1998 - a touch softer, as the cover suggests.
The Rest of Us, 2002 - no, it’s not a compilation.
Integrity, Technology & Service, 1992; Janitors of Tomorrow, 1991 - the two first albums from Empty Records are punkier and noisier than later work - not exactly my style, but I imagine might be the opposite for someone else.
Gas_Huffer_One_Inch_Masters_lyrics_incomplete.txt
Wikipedia: Album|Artist
Next time - something more classical from The List.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
How Music Works
How Music Works with Howard Goodall is an exciting journey through the fundamentals required for understanding music with a brilliant guide. Four episodes of the show cover the key aspects: Melody, Rhythm, Harmony and Bass.
The only similar show I know is Understanding The Fundamentals of Music by Professor Robert Greenberg.
Next time: Gas Huffer.
The only similar show I know is Understanding The Fundamentals of Music by Professor Robert Greenberg.
Next time: Gas Huffer.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Roger Glover and Guests - The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper’s Feast, 1974
those legend-makers and bass-playing songwriters (McCartney, Sting). This album – overlooked, underrated and pretty much forgotten – stands out of his work for me so much, that I rather associate his name with The Butterfly Ball first than even with Deep Purple. It is a musical created by some of the biggest rock names after a children's book based on a poem from nineteenth century. If that doesn't sound intriguing enough, here are some of those names:
David Coverdale of Deep Purple and Whitesnake
Ronnie James Dio of Dio, Black Sabbath and Rainbow
Michael Giles of King Crimson
Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Phenomena
Eddie Jobson of Curved Air, Roxy Music and Jethro Tull
John Lawton of Uriah Heep and Lucifer’s Friend
Micky Lee Soule of Elf and Rainbow
Can you imagine Ronnie James Dio singing a little froggy's part? Those, familiar with his Elf years probably should, but those coming from his metal side might not. It's charming.
Love Is All seems to be the only track widely recognized. Although a very good song to me, I perceive it as a version of All You Need Is Love by you know who. Personal favorites are rather Old Blind Mole and Sitting In A Dream. Then go Behind The Smile, Sir Maximus Mouse, Watch Out For The Bat and Little Chalk Blue.
There was a wonderful CD reprint in 90's (could be the one from 1995) in a cardboard sleeve and with quite interesting liner notes – not the copy I own though (mine is a veteran CD from 1989 with some history attached, including quite an effort from my father to obtain it around 14 years ago and that little IT-slavery he got me into in return for a record :)
Anyway, recalling some of those notes and things read/heard elsewhere, I can't stop thinking of this Deep Purple turmoil background Glover must've been going through those years: leaving the band due to that Blackmore thing – arranging a new band with Dio during the Butterfly Ball sessions – Blackmore leaving DP and getting Dio to his newly formed Rainbow instead – Glover producing Rainbow... Still in the middle of it, beaten by the oil crisis of '73 but powered by a lot of talent The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast was born. A record emitting light and celebrating life in its various styles and genres. Filled with enthusiasm and devotion, where songs were conceived right in the studio and just before recording.
Transparent and gentle. As if artwork by Alan Aldridge alone wouldn't make it worth owning.
An animated feature film has been planned as well, however didn't happen due to aforementioned crisis. Here is what has left:
Butterfly Ball's lyrics at Roger Glover's official website
Wikipedia: Album|Artist
Next time: How Music Works
David Coverdale of Deep Purple and Whitesnake
Ronnie James Dio of Dio, Black Sabbath and Rainbow
Michael Giles of King Crimson
Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Phenomena
Eddie Jobson of Curved Air, Roxy Music and Jethro Tull
John Lawton of Uriah Heep and Lucifer’s Friend
Micky Lee Soule of Elf and Rainbow
Can you imagine Ronnie James Dio singing a little froggy's part? Those, familiar with his Elf years probably should, but those coming from his metal side might not. It's charming.
Love Is All seems to be the only track widely recognized. Although a very good song to me, I perceive it as a version of All You Need Is Love by you know who. Personal favorites are rather Old Blind Mole and Sitting In A Dream. Then go Behind The Smile, Sir Maximus Mouse, Watch Out For The Bat and Little Chalk Blue.
There was a wonderful CD reprint in 90's (could be the one from 1995) in a cardboard sleeve and with quite interesting liner notes – not the copy I own though (mine is a veteran CD from 1989 with some history attached, including quite an effort from my father to obtain it around 14 years ago and that little IT-slavery he got me into in return for a record :)
Anyway, recalling some of those notes and things read/heard elsewhere, I can't stop thinking of this Deep Purple turmoil background Glover must've been going through those years: leaving the band due to that Blackmore thing – arranging a new band with Dio during the Butterfly Ball sessions – Blackmore leaving DP and getting Dio to his newly formed Rainbow instead – Glover producing Rainbow... Still in the middle of it, beaten by the oil crisis of '73 but powered by a lot of talent The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast was born. A record emitting light and celebrating life in its various styles and genres. Filled with enthusiasm and devotion, where songs were conceived right in the studio and just before recording.
Transparent and gentle. As if artwork by Alan Aldridge alone wouldn't make it worth owning.
An animated feature film has been planned as well, however didn't happen due to aforementioned crisis. Here is what has left:
Butterfly Ball's lyrics at Roger Glover's official website
Wikipedia: Album|Artist
Next time: How Music Works
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