GRANT LEE BUFFALO: NEW (OLD) RIDERS ON THE STORM (HYMNALS)?

You'd never have known these guys hadn't played together in a very long time...
Their show the other night would not have given you any indication. Grant Lee Phillips
mentioned the songs they would be playing were from an era when they "practiced a lot".
It showed. The airtight rhythm section of Paul Kimble (bass) and Joey Peters (drums) and Phillips on twelve string played through any number of pedals sounded like a well oiled and muscular machine. They joked about loud / quiet dynamics and showed them off effortlessly. "The loudest slow songs you'll ever hear", Phillips joked. I always associated them more the alt-country of the mid-90's, mostly because of Phillips Americana-soaked  lyrical bent. His voice was always front and center for me, burnished baritone and aching falsetto waltzing through songs of of the old weird America, which seems to be getting weirder by the way... But Phillips also shreds. Reminded me of Sonic Youth or Dinosaur Jr at times, with big blasts of riffs.

Phillips is a natural storyteller and cut-up. He spent most of the evening cracking jokes between songs. Some of the music is melancholic to say the least and he and the band recognize that. It's like they are introducing oddball members of the family. That humor may be absent in the bands earnest songs, but it is an essential part of their show. They looked like they were having a blast and it certainly sounded like it

When they mentioned knowing a "hybrid of a Doors song", the audience roared. What followed is their version of The Doors-doing-the-theme-to-Gilligan's Island to the music of 'The End'. Phillips' Lizard King was dead on complete with drone-y eastern tinged guitar riffs.

Giligan.
Yes, little buddy.
I want to kill you.

Devastatingly funny and musically perfect.
Then they tore your heart out with "Rock Of Ages".

Hopefully not the end.... Maybe a new record!?




GRANT LEE BUFFALO:

The OG line-up consisting of Grant Lee Phillips, Paul Kimble and Joey Peters.
Live at the Old Town School. March 29, 2014.

SPICOLLI'S BAGEL VS BASS DRUM OF DEATH

IT'S MY SKULL!

EXPRESSWAY TO IT!

RAWK AND/OR ROLL

BASS DRUM OF DEATH!!!!!!

2014: a Seth List - Random records that have stuck

10 Records that I always go back to off the top of my head.
Tried to just fire em out as quick as possible. Cut n' paste took substantially longer...
Enjoy!

The Big Boys - No Matter How Long The Line In The Cafeteria There's Always A Seat
Treepeople - Guilt, Regret, Embarrassment
Caetano Veloso - Transa
Tony Allen - Black Voices
Aswad - New Chapter in Dub
Mark Murphy - Midnight Mood
Style Council - My Ever Changing Moods
Antonio Adolfo - s/t 1972
Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
Gal Costa - s/t 1969

Put The Punk Into The Funk!

The Big Boys - What's The Word, 1984





Boise's Finest.

Treepeople - Pity, 1991





Universo Bilingual

Caetano Veloso - It's A Long Way, 1972





The Beat in Afro Beat

Tony Allen Ariya (Psychejuju Mix) 1998

I wanted 'Ariya'. Dis hott 2 do....




Jah Lite It Right

Aswad - Dub Fire, 1982





You Irritate Me! (In A Good Way)

Mark Murphy - You Fascinate Me So, 1968





Paul f*cking Weller

A trick as it's from Cafe Blue - with the UK version of My Ever Changing Moods.

The Style Council -My Ever Changing Moods





Na vitrola sem parar... Ends up glued to the turntable. Endless Sundays.

Antondio Adolfo - Por Que Voce Se Esconde




RIP MCA

Beastie Boys - Shake Your Rump




Nota 10

Gal Costa - Que Pena

WTF? A band called F+CK

I forget how I stumbled upon these dudes, but I played their albums incessantly. Still have the occasional 'fuck-fest', hence today's post and glorious return to blog-o-land...! I can vividly remember driving through New Mexico at dusk listening to 'Pretty....Slow'. Perfect laid back lo-fi soundtrack. Bi-polar as well, fuck. These guys played all over the map, but hit a sweet spot with super hushed countrified slow jams. One minute they sound Cobain-esque, the next maybe Jeff Tweedy, then David Byrne/Brian Eno... The name pretty much killed the band I would imagine. They refused to change their name while on Matador records. And left after two albums. They recorded two more LPs on multiple labels, then called it quits around 2003/4. They didn't play anything remotely hardcore, so the name probably fooled too many people.

(Above is a sticker that came inside their  'Baby Like A Funny Bunny' album. I had it on my motorcycle at the time. One night someone pushed the bike over and took the sticker... FUCK!)

Fuck

American indie rock band, Oakland, California in 1993. (Timothy Prudhomme, Geoff Soule, Kyle Statham, and Theodore Ellison.)
 

CD: PRETTY....SLOW (1996)

LP/CD: BABY LOVES A FUNNY BUNNY (1996) 

LP/CD: PARDON MY FRENCH (1997)

 

LP/CD: CONDUCT (1998) 

 CD: CUPID'S CACTUS (2001)

 CD: GOLD BRICK'S (2001)

CD: THOSE ARE NOT MY BONGOS (2003)

LISTEN TO A WHOLE BUNCH OF FUCK!

Detail from Fuck coloring book/insert 'Pretty Slow'