Fathers Day:
For me, it's the beginning of the musical summer. It's when I force Mrs. Jaybee and the kids to get me music that is freakishly odd and completely inappropriate to the season. This is not a bad thing, but it is, well, bad timing.
For me, it's the beginning of the musical summer. It's when I force Mrs. Jaybee and the kids to get me music that is freakishly odd and completely inappropriate to the season. This is not a bad thing, but it is, well, bad timing.
Is there a better way to kick off the summer than to listen to a sick old man embrace death? Of course not!
And Lenny faces death quite courageously.
This is right up there with his best latter-day stuff. In fact, the second half of Essential comes off rather bloated (am I ungrateful for that embarrassment of riches, or what???) compared to this. The pairing of the words (as good as any he’s ever put down) and music is perfect. Not. Beach. Music.
A-
And of course when you're packing your beach bag and putting on your bathing suit, what country immediately comes to mind? That’s right, Sweden.
And it you can find a strange young woman singing lonely songs, all the better.
Mrs. Jaybee hates this one, though. “It’s the girly voice,” she says.
I kind of like it, though. I kept telling myself I was going to hear dance music but instead it’s got a pretty bare-bones sound, with nary a synthesizer. Sort of the Anti-Robyn.
Luckily, the songwriting holds up almost all the way through.
B+
This one explores rougher territory, sometimes going back as far as the 50s for style and execution. It’s startlingly different from Youth Novels but the songwriting is better and it has more variety.
It earns its drama and pain and doesn’t overplay its hand. When she sings “my love is unrequited” It’s just thrilling.
And with, after only three short years, the girly voice gone, Mrs. Jaybee hums along to almost every one of them.
A-
Academy Records:
I also try to fit in a trip to the used record store. Now I should already have learned my lesson about matching the music to the time of year (The "No Christmas Music in June" rule.), but Academy Records, like Other Music before that doesn't work that way. They have what they have. Or to put it another way, they have what someone else hated.)
So you take what you can get. And, this time, let's just say they hadn't exactly stocked up for the Fourth of July rush.
Ah, what great summer memories of the Watts riots!
It’s always risky going back to those legendary records from the 60s and 70s. The 60s because the albums are just not as consistent as they should be, and the 70s because of an odd stench I pick up, either originating from a paucity of production or songwriting that prevents the record from withstanding the test of time.
This is Frank’s first record. Although I’m familiar with a few others they’re all very different from one another, so it’s hard to know what to expect.
Not Surprising:
The contempt. Frank is right, of course, but it prevents him from displaying any warmth. So you end up with music to admire instead of enjoy. And Frank’s also as sexist as any of the “daddy”s he complains about.
His parodies of 50s rock n roll make me wonder if we’re meant to enjoy it or not. That’s okay, I do.
Surprising
It’s more song-oriented than I expected. Frank can sure write a pop tune when he wants to! Which is almost never unless he’s smirking.
Frank’s guitar playing is bitchin’ from the git-go.
So for a Zappa skeptic like me, somewhat of a pleasant surprise.
B+
I guess we should all be grateful that we haven't seen old Tom in a bathing suit.
Crazy as ever but rocking harder. Every song has either great instrumentation, vocals or lyrics. This may be my favorite by him.
A-
Summer!:
But I eventually (in this case, late July) learn.
Best Coast: Crazy for You (2010)
Finally! An actual summer record.
I can easily imagine hearing this at a barbecue in the 1960s or on a passing transistor radio as I play on the sidewalk. This is as much due to the lo-fi sound as to the perfect pairing of female vocals and loud guitars.
For that alone, it’s the record of the summer, such as it is.
I could see getting tired of it due to the similarity of attack throughout - all the songs sounding the same and all - but Bethany Consentino keeps coming up with the tunes, so I’m okay with it. And Mrs. Burns hums to it, even the songs on the second half. Now THAT’s a recommendation!
A-
