A list of good albums to listen to while stoned

Lovin' Spoonful-Daydream
Deep Purple-In Rock
Perrey & Kingsley-The In Sound From Way Out
Charles Manson-Lie
Serge Gainsbourg-Histoire de Melody Nelson
Melvins-Eggnog
Steely Dan-Countdown to Ecstasy (seriously)
Wu Tang Clan-Enter the 36 Chambers
Public Image Ltd.-Second Edition
Severed Heads-City Slab Horror
Ken Nordine-Best of the Word Jazz
Byrds-Notorious Byrd Brothers
Broadcast-Noise Made by People
Funkadelic-Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow
Monty Python-Previous Record
Sleep-Jerusalem
Terry Riley-A Rainbow in Curved Air
Sly & the Family Stone-There's a Riot Goin' On
Black Sabbath-Sabotage
Herbie Hancock-Sextant
Modern Lovers-Modern Lovers
Estradasphere-Buck Fever
Ananda Shankar-The Man and his Music
Kinks-Arthur
Tiny Tim-God Bless Tiny Tim

VA-An Anthology of Chinese Experimental Music

Hot damn! A sprawling four CD collection of experimental music from China may seem a bit overwhelming and in some respects, it is. With the exception of Torturing Nurse (who I'm only familiar with because my friends did a split CD with them) I am unfamiliar with every artist on this compilation. That's a lot of names to keep track of and further delve into. The liner notes do a great job of offering brief bios, gear lists and instruments used, personel and short statements made by the artists regarding intent or or musical statement. A good jump off point if you wish to pursue the artists further. If you have an interest in discovering the non academic side of China's experimental community, say hello to 49 exceptional artists! If you don't feel the need to dig that deep, this album is perfect for an overall primer. After all, China is fucking huge and not nearly as regarded in experimental music as Japan, who has given the world such name recognizable exports as Merzbow and Massona. I was recommended this collection from a good friend who had sold me on it because of how eclectic the different acts were. After listening to disc one, it seemed a bit laptop dominant but as the hours passed, I could hear the diversity. In addition to the laptop workouts, which range from minimal digital soundscapes to terrorizing glitch and harsh noise, you will find delightful electro-acoustic tapestries, old school tape noise, borderline industrial and some very tasty audio collage work. A personal favorite is Tats Lau on disc 3, a short but adventurous jaunt through pre recorded voice, fairly untreated drum machines playing what sounds like a pre-programmed reggae patch and a whirlpool of strings and electronics. One of the more prolific figures represented in the set seems to be Li Chin Sung, who also performs under the moniker of Dickson Dee, DJ Dee and PNF (this project also has a track on the compilation). The Li Chin Sung track kicks off the first disc with a dark ambient workout colored by high end digital signals. Creepy stuff. Liner notes reveal that he has collaborated with the likes of Otomo Yoshide and Keiji Haino, as well as having released a disc in the states on Tzadik.
It's difficult to go into too many specifics here. At the end of the week I'd spent listening to this, one disc at a time, it ultimately serves as a giant snapshot of a musical community in a giant country. Each song is unique as well as being part of a whole body of work that is vast, beautiful and ugly. I am impressed, enlightened and entertained by this collection and it will be revisited in the future with much enjoyment.

RATING: 7/10

Roxy Music-For Your Pleasure

This is not a bad album. This is not an amazing album. This is nevertheless a pivotal album for a fairly influential band and deserves critical listening. For a an Enophile like myself, this album marks Eno's departure and the shift in creative control to one Bryan Ferry (a good singer, mediocre songwriter with an amazing head of hair). Long gone are the fabulous electronic flourishes which marvelously decorated the first Roxy Music record. There is still an atmospherical quality here created with good old fasioned sound/silence dynamics and some exquisite 70's delay effects. The tasteful yet adventurous use of these effects are best executed by Roxy Music's shining star Phil Manzanera. Regardless of the many line up changes that would follow, Manzanera's guitar work would remain a signature quality of Roxy Music's sound and his work on this record is no exception. Often subdued, sometimes fiercly dominant, the guitar play on this record always works. Think a relaxed Robert Fripp. It's no wonder Eno would often recruit Manzanera for future projects.
This album serves as a good example of Roxy Music's niche in British rock music of the seventies. They had plenty of nostalgic throwback to early rock and roll without too much emphasis on "glam" fashion, complimented very well by Andy Mackays sax work. They also managed to appeal to the art school crowd with moments of arhythmic meandering and ethereal imagery. However these two qualities worked in a strange harmony to make them accessible to a large audience. Weirder than T-Rex or Slade but with good pop sensibilities. If your having a party or making a mixtape for a cute rocker girl or boy, throw on "Do the Strand" or "Beauty Queen". If your high on salvia or looking to lose yourself in sounds, try "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" or "The Bogus Man". If you enjoy a good balance of hooks and non-hooks, play from start to finish.
Following this album, Roxy Music enjoyed more commercial success with some great pop tunes (mainly "Love is the Drug" and "More Than This") and Eddie Jobson replaced Brian Eno, who went on to make some of the greatest records of all time. But that's another blog. Listen to this record and find a place for it in your grand scheme of things.

RATING: 6/10

KOOL KEITH-Matthew

You know Kool Keith right? If you don't I may summarize by saying that he is one of the most eccentric, brilliant and dumb MC's out there. He lives in an alternate universe that we can all take a part of. The protagonist has a lot of anger but it is directed at such a minute sector of society that nobody can fully relate to it without any direct conflict. However, anyone who's been pissed off can relate to his sincerety. In an extremely prolific discography such as Keith's, there is plenty to pick at. Good albums, bad albums and valid albums, like "Matthew".

This is an angry statement. A hater record for the ages. This is certainly not new territory for Kool Keith, who has enough contempt to fill Madison Square Garden. Who isn't a target of Keith's rage? Every major label, gold diggers, niggaz walkin' around like Bob Marley and Lenny Kravitz, the NBA, jealous motherfuckers...nah. They made the list. No one is safe. It's worth pointing out that this record seems extremely homophobic. This is to the point where it certainly can't be taken seriously but it is a very real sentiment (after all, the original title of the Beastie Boys "Licensed to Ill" was "Don't Be a Faggot"). However, to see past the targets is to enjoy a delightful slab of angry music. Keith is almost comparable to Wesley Willis in his delusional but utterly passionate rage. Fuck, it isn't delusional. Keith knows exactly what he doesn't approve of and the bulk of this record will lay that out to you in a very concise manner. Our storyteller is skilled in delivering harsh tokes of self realization that most of his subjects will not realize .
The fantasy pieces set any given Kool Keith record apart from the rest. The stand out on "Matthew" is Extravagant Traveler. "Puerto Rico out to Africa"... and all stops in between. To quote the lyrics does no justice. I only hope you seek it out. Musically, the beats are spot on. In Kool Keiths 20+ year career, he has burned a lot of bridges with collaborators and rarely works with anyone on multiple projects. Somehow, he manages to find exceptionally good producers most of the time. Here, the Diesel Truckers deliver minimal, sample free, electronic jams that compliment Keiths delivery very well. Everybody loves the Dr. Octagon record with Dan the Automator at the controls but I'd be very surprised to hear those two work together again. On to the future.
Kool Keith is a true outsider. I sincerely hope he goes down in history somewhere in between Rakim and Roky Erikson. I don't believe you...

RATING:6/10

Hall & Oates-Abandoned Luncheonette

As far back as I can remember, there has always been Hall & Oates. As an MTV viewing toddler, I would frequently see their golden locks and thick black mustache on the screen. I had always thought their hit singles were solid gold and I still have the copy of Rock & Soul Part 1 that my mother purchased when I was very young. It holds up. During my years at the record store, the 70's Hall & Oates records came through about as frequently as one would urinate. I never took the time to listen to any of them. There were always plenty of records to explore that were far more intriguing and not nearly enough hours in a day to critically or even casually listen to them all. Since leaving the record store, I've rediscovered my love of digging through thrift store record bins for new ear candy. Last week I picked up a copy of Hall & Oates "Abandoned Luncheonette", their 1973 album that many fans and critics consider a pivotal record for the duo in terms of their songwriting maturity. Now I've had a chance to listen to it and offer my thoughts.

Overall, not bad. The Daryl Hall penned opening number "When the Morning Comes" is a carefree blue eyed soul number that's very much "of it's time". It makes me wish more people used mellotron and Bernard Purdie on records made in this day and age. Following the strong opener are two John Oates compositions that are weak in comparison. Despite his incredibly smooth vocals, these songs strike me as a definite pre-cursor to the Jack Johnson breed of singer/songwriters that pollute the airwaves today (blech!). However, the smart arrangements and quality session players save the tracks from an immediate jump of the needle. "She's Gone" manages to jump out as the obvious hit that it is. It's songs like this that solidify the groups legendary status and make them seem right at home on Atlantic Records in the tail end of their golden age. It sounds like the best Gamble & Huff song that Gamble & Huff didn't write.
Side 2 opens with the title track, a rather cliched narrative but very strong musically. Two competent but forgettable ballads follow that aren't worth going into detail. And then the closing number, "Everytime I Look at You". THIS IS THE JAM! Nearly eight minutes of heavy funk, the likes of which I've never heard from these two old familiars. To add an unexpected twist to the formula, the closing minutes feature a banjo and country fiddle assault. This superb closing number saved the record from getting filed away or sold.

Twenty-some years after the introduction to Daryl and John's hit machine, I'm glad I've taken a step back to enjoy a full album that was released before my time. Regardless of it's weaker moments, this has been an enjoyable listen and I will be revisiting the highlights in future DJ sets.

RATING: 5/10

Playlist 8/24/09

The debut blog post here on Jodyride will be a playlist. This will be a music and music related blog. The following playlist is from a DJ set I did at the Lava Lounge, a delightful bar in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood. Belltown used to be a wonderful neighborhood to drink in but due to the increase of condos in the last ten years, there are precious few watering holes that offer good music, good atmosphere and good drinks. The Lava Lounge has remained one of the finest bars in Belltown and offers live DJ's seven nights a week. The following is a Monday night set with a decided theme of "psychedelia". I normally spin on Friday nights and I saw a substitute Monday shift as a good time to experiment with this format that I hope to eventually bring to the airwaves in Seattle. There has been a huge trend in recent years of reissuing obscure records from the golden age of psych rock (66-74 roughly). These records are often expensive and unknown. There's interest in them but no represntation of them in retail stores or on the radio. It is my goal to one day have a show where these lost nuggets will be played for the record collecting public, as well as classic works that fit into the mix. More on this dream to come. For now, check out the list and tell me if you would enjoy a radio program of this nature.

The Assosciation-Come On In
Bert Jansch-Blackwaterslide
Folkswingers-Kicks
Frijid Pink-I Want to be Your Lover
Chico Magnetic Band-Ain't No Telling
Susan Christie-Ghost Riders in the Sky
Harpers Bizarre-High Coin
Bongwater-The Power of Pussy
Chubby Checker-My Mind--(Chubby's psych experiments are AMAZING!)
Quicksilver Messenger Service-Gold and Silver
Kevin Ayres-Soon Soon Soon
Bevis Frond-Malvolios Dream Journey to Pikes
Monkees-Can U Dig It?
The End-Under the Rainbow
Seeds-Flower Lady and Her Assistant
Bob Seger System-Black Eyed Girl--(pre Silver Bullet Band Seger rules!)
Question Mark-Freaking Out-- (Cambodian ?, not of Mysterians fame)
United States of America-Garden of Earthly Delights
Red Crayola-Transparent Radiation
Hawkwind-Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear in Smoke)
Fugs-CIA Man
Simply Saucer-Nazi Apocalypse
Mahavishnu Orchestra-The Dance of the Maya
Pierre Henry-Psyche Rock
Dick Hyman-The Moog and Me
Brian Eno-Babys on Fire
Chrome-SS Cygni
Bonzo Dog Band-Humanoid Boogie
Giles, Giles and Fripp-Erudite Eyes
Olivia Tremor Control-A Sunshine Fix
Dukes of Stratosphear-You're My Drug
Moving Sidewalk-99th Floor
Randy Holden-Fruit and Iceburgs/Between Time
Beach Boys-Feel Flows
Som Imaginario-Super God
Silver Apples-A Pox on You
Amon Duul II-Kanaan
Devils Anvil-Salim Alai
Goblin-Suspiria
Gong-Tropical Fish/Selene
Chicken Shack-Daughter of the Hillside
Flower Travelin' Band-Satori part 1
Can-Uphill
Life on Earth-Life on Earth
Cilibrinas Do Eden-Paixao Du Minha Existencia Artibulada
Syd Barrett-No Good Trying
Incredible String Band-Koeeoaddi There
Orient Express-For a Moment
Michael Yonkers-Boy in the Sandbox
Blossom Toes-Billy Boo the Gunman
Aphrodites Child-Four Horsemen
Faust-Just a Second/Picnic on a Frozen River
Tyrannosaurus Rex-By the Light of a Magical Moon
Jeff Simmons-Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up
Van Morrison-TB Sheets
Spacemen 3-Honey
George Harrison-Party Seacombe

As you can see, it's a mix of familiar and unfamiliar artists under the broad title of psychedelia. The set did not go over too well but this type of music is much more suitable for smoking pot at home, not drinking in a bar. That is why I hope to take these ideas to the radio.
Keep on truckin'