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Showing posts with label dBs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dBs. Show all posts
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Friday, July 20, 2012
Falling Off the Sky
From New York, North Carolina, and all over the world
There's a new dB's album out called Falling Off the Sky.
It's their first album in 25 years, their first with the original lineup in 30 years.
They've been recording it (slowly) since 2005.
And when I heard about it, I hoped.
But I didn't let myself hope too much. I didn't want to be disappointed.
After all, how many reunion albums by once-vibrant bands arrive with a noisy clunk. You listen once or twice, then wish they'd never gotten back together.
That's what I was afraid of.
The new dBs album has no reason to be good.
No reason to be as good as their classic records from long, long ago.
And.
Yet.
It is.
They sound just as good as they ever did. But somehow also have the wisdom of their experiences over the past 30 years.
So, courtesy of Bar/None and the dBs, enjoy these tasty tracks from Chris Stamey, Peter Holsapple, Will Rigby, and Gene Holder (with some help from producer/guitarist Mitch Easter):
There's a new dB's album out called Falling Off the Sky.
It's their first album in 25 years, their first with the original lineup in 30 years.
They've been recording it (slowly) since 2005.
And when I heard about it, I hoped.
But I didn't let myself hope too much. I didn't want to be disappointed.
After all, how many reunion albums by once-vibrant bands arrive with a noisy clunk. You listen once or twice, then wish they'd never gotten back together.
That's what I was afraid of.
The new dBs album has no reason to be good.
No reason to be as good as their classic records from long, long ago.
And.
Yet.
It is.
They sound just as good as they ever did. But somehow also have the wisdom of their experiences over the past 30 years.
So, courtesy of Bar/None and the dBs, enjoy these tasty tracks from Chris Stamey, Peter Holsapple, Will Rigby, and Gene Holder (with some help from producer/guitarist Mitch Easter):
Sunday, May 24, 2009
When the Toe Rings, Don't Answer
Every girl I know has got some... soul.
What is it about girls with toe rings?
Either they're crazy and worship Motley Crue or they're tie-dyed hippies who worship at the bongwater of the Grateful Dead, or (if you're lucky) they're the geeky power pop grrrls with indie-rock retro glasses.
One summer, I lived near a used-record store located above a Chinese restaurant. I would go in there twice a week after work and browse through the "new arrivals" section. One evening, I saw a gorgeous redheaded girl with a toe ring. She bought a used record by the dBs, so I did too.
The record was great -- one of the original Albion ones -- filled with catchy tunes, good beats, and great harmonies. If there's a soundtrack to summer, this would have to be on it:
In an alternate universe, the dBs would have become superstars and the redheaded girl and I would have had a torrid love affair that lasted (on and off) for the better part of a decade. But, as I've said before, we sadly don't live in that universe. So all that summer, I waited for the redheaded girl in that used-record store that smelled of sticky red sauce and fried rice. She never reappeared. Over the years I bought all the dBs records I could find (but sadly didn't buy a near-mint copy of their "cassette in a can," which is now worth big bucks on eBay).
Years later, on impulse, I went back into that store again. The Chinese restaurant was gone, replaced by an Indian restaurant (which only lasted a few months). Over the wafting aroma of curry, I picked up a copy of the dBs album Like This on CD.
As I turned around, the redheaded girl was behind me. She looked at the CD and smiled. "I liked them better before Chris Stamey left," she said.
I nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, me too! Hey, do you wanna-"
And she cut me off. "I've got a boyfriend." I looked down at her feet. She was wearing socks. Any toe rings she may have been wearing were cut off from public view. "But enjoy the CD."
I nodded sadly and paid for the CD. (Link for Gmail subscribers.)
The toe ring giveth... and the toe ring taketh away.
What is it about girls with toe rings?
Either they're crazy and worship Motley Crue or they're tie-dyed hippies who worship at the bongwater of the Grateful Dead, or (if you're lucky) they're the geeky power pop grrrls with indie-rock retro glasses.
One summer, I lived near a used-record store located above a Chinese restaurant. I would go in there twice a week after work and browse through the "new arrivals" section. One evening, I saw a gorgeous redheaded girl with a toe ring. She bought a used record by the dBs, so I did too.The record was great -- one of the original Albion ones -- filled with catchy tunes, good beats, and great harmonies. If there's a soundtrack to summer, this would have to be on it:
In an alternate universe, the dBs would have become superstars and the redheaded girl and I would have had a torrid love affair that lasted (on and off) for the better part of a decade. But, as I've said before, we sadly don't live in that universe. So all that summer, I waited for the redheaded girl in that used-record store that smelled of sticky red sauce and fried rice. She never reappeared. Over the years I bought all the dBs records I could find (but sadly didn't buy a near-mint copy of their "cassette in a can," which is now worth big bucks on eBay).
Years later, on impulse, I went back into that store again. The Chinese restaurant was gone, replaced by an Indian restaurant (which only lasted a few months). Over the wafting aroma of curry, I picked up a copy of the dBs album Like This on CD.
She's got soul but I don't know. Every girl I know has got some soul...
As I turned around, the redheaded girl was behind me. She looked at the CD and smiled. "I liked them better before Chris Stamey left," she said.
I nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, me too! Hey, do you wanna-"
And she cut me off. "I've got a boyfriend." I looked down at her feet. She was wearing socks. Any toe rings she may have been wearing were cut off from public view. "But enjoy the CD."
I nodded sadly and paid for the CD. (Link for Gmail subscribers.)
The toe ring giveth... and the toe ring taketh away.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Stop-Action Pizza
Stop-Action Pizza
I came too late to the Hellacopters party (they recently broke up after a series of farewell shows in their native Sweden), but what's not to like about a band that called their debut album Supershitty to the Max?
Most Hellacopters songs are too metal for me, but I have a soft spot in my heart for "I’m in the Band" (which I promise will be a hit in 1972 for the Faces -- just as soon as I work the kinks out of my time machine). When it comes to Claymation videos where music is played by and for pizza toppings, you can't beat this ditty from the Hellacopters' 2005 Rock ‘n’ Roll is Dead album). (Link for Gmail subscribers.)
Perfect Bonus
Lou Reed was always destined to be Lou Reed. He didn't really have a choice. But John Cale… he could've been anything. A serious composer. Or a classical musician. Or the best producer in rock 'n' roll. Or the original punk. (And arguably, he was all those things at some point in the past 40 years.)
Which makes it hard to remember that John Cale also occasionally writes a perfect pop song, like this one from 2005's Black Acetate (again with 2005!), which is... um... Perfect. Sure, he's older, and yeah, the center cannot hold, but who cares if everything decays when you've got a perfect pop song? (Link for Gmail subscribers)
Extra (Perfect) Bonus: Will Rigby of the dBs writing about John Cale.
I came too late to the Hellacopters party (they recently broke up after a series of farewell shows in their native Sweden), but what's not to like about a band that called their debut album Supershitty to the Max?
Most Hellacopters songs are too metal for me, but I have a soft spot in my heart for "I’m in the Band" (which I promise will be a hit in 1972 for the Faces -- just as soon as I work the kinks out of my time machine). When it comes to Claymation videos where music is played by and for pizza toppings, you can't beat this ditty from the Hellacopters' 2005 Rock ‘n’ Roll is Dead album). (Link for Gmail subscribers.)
Perfect Bonus
Lou Reed was always destined to be Lou Reed. He didn't really have a choice. But John Cale… he could've been anything. A serious composer. Or a classical musician. Or the best producer in rock 'n' roll. Or the original punk. (And arguably, he was all those things at some point in the past 40 years.)
Which makes it hard to remember that John Cale also occasionally writes a perfect pop song, like this one from 2005's Black Acetate (again with 2005!), which is... um... Perfect. Sure, he's older, and yeah, the center cannot hold, but who cares if everything decays when you've got a perfect pop song? (Link for Gmail subscribers)
Extra (Perfect) Bonus: Will Rigby of the dBs writing about John Cale.
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