Music Notes: September 2023
Hiatus or not…a number of people wrote to me to make sure everything was OK after last week’s announcement. Thank you. Truth was, I was just a little overwhelmed with some other things, and if I can’t do something well, I’d prefer not to do it at all. No, I’ll probably try to put out posts, but at a slower rate for now. In anyevent, Music Notes will continue.
1 The Who – Who’s Next (Super-deluxe edition)
Now, Who’s Next, make no mistake, is a great record. Beyond “Baba O’Riley” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” there are plenty of amazing things. Still, this edition is nuts – 11 discs including the original album, 2 CDs of demos, 2 CDs of sessions, four live discs, and a blu-ray. I’m sure if you are the ultimate Who fan this is a dream, but after shelling out $400 for this behemoth, you have to quit your job in order to find time to listen to the whole thing. Maybe the 2 disc edition…
2. The Replacements – Tim (Let It Bleed Edition)
Having just dissed the Who for a bloated release, I come to the Replacements deluxe version of Tim. Am I a hypocrite? I can see myself getting this one – a remastered original, an amazing Ed Stasium mix, demos, and live stuff. Brilliant.
3 Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros – Live at Acton Town Hall
It’s hard to listen to this without conflicting emotions. It’s a Clash heavy set of prime Strummer material and featuring Mick Jones on three songs. I’m always glad the Clash never reunited as it would likely have soured the memory of that brilliant band (I’m deliberately leaving out Cut the Crap here), but to hear Mick and Joe together for a final time, well. But that’s the flipside. It was the final time. A month later, Strummer was gone. And you know that as you listen.
4 Black Country, New Road
I’ve seen a lot of shows at Toronto’s Concert Hall – The Cramps, Billy Bragg, the Beastie Boys, Ice-T, Echo and the Bunnymen, the Replacements, Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth, the Violent Femmes, and the Jesus and Mary Chain, and likely more. Good size venue where the sound was crisp and the slightlines were good. But then it closed and was a TV studio for a while. Now, it’s back and it’s exactly the same. The other week I saw Black Country, New Road there in a sold-out show. Pretty good show despite the fact having to stand all night is getting harder and harder. The band was in good form and sounded great to me despite me being unfamiliar with this album, and the switch up of the band following the departure of singer Isaac Wood. Someone asked me to describe the band and I replied avant-garde post-punk folk-jazz. Dunno if that’s entirely accurate, but the band went through most of those styles, much to the delight of the Toronto audience.
5 The Feelies – Some Kinda Love
New Jersey’s the Feelies are in good company – bands inspired by the Velvet Underground. For me, they’ve always reminded me of the third Velvets album (feel free to disagree, it’s cool), and that’s entirely a compliment. This live album, which will be released in October, it is a pretty amazing thing; a live Velvets cover album drawing from all four albums. You can hear two songs on Bandcamp and pre-order there. A fitting homage.
6. The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground
And speaking of the Velvets. Since my August trip to the Warhol Museum, the Velvets have been higher in the rotation. I usually alternate between the first two albums as my favourite, but this third is really amazing too:. From the rockers of “What Goes On ” and “Beginning to See the Light,” to the prettiest song Lou Reed ever wrote, “Pale Blue Eyes.” Even “The Murder Mystery” is worth a listen (though it didn’t entirely work). I’m working my way toward the live stuff.
7 Margo Cilker – Valley of Heart’s Delight
OK, I’m plugging a record I haven’t listened to yet (though the last one was great, and the reviews from this are very good as well). The real reason I’m looking forward to this is she’s playing the Monarch Tavern in Toronto in a couple of weeks. Never been to the Monarch, but its capacity of 120 makes me very excited. Watch for a review.
8 The Rolling Stones – “Angry”
On a certain level, my feeling is what’s the point? Is it even the Stones? It’s Mick, Keef and Ron. The announced album, Hackney Diamonds, is packed with friends and celebrity cameos (Gaga, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, even Bill Wyman), which is usually a sign of flagging interest,but you know, the single isn’t half bad. Punchy, and with a great guitar sound.
9 Sleaford Mods – “Big Pharma”
New Mods, nuff said.
10. Teenage Fanclub – Nothing Lasts Forever
A somewhat ironic title as despite comings and goings, TFC does seem to be lasting forever. The band has that rare ability to have a sound that is at once familiar, but always different. A truly classic pop band who deserve to me worshipped around the globe.
Till next time.
Notes from Underground 
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