Speaker(s) of the House: Some Things Reconsidered

Me Reluctantly Deciding It's Time for New Speakers

Salsa and Cheese:

A few years ago, we had some family over for a barbeque. (Yes, another post with a barbeque story.)

My niece (not the one with the fire extinguisher, her sister) and her boyfriend were tasked with bringing dips for the nacho chips. Tostitos Melted Cheese was a thing at the time, although I never had much use for it, seeing it as a heart attack in a jar. Nonetheless, the zeitgeist had spoken, and we expected salsa and melted cheese. And we got it, technically. 

Alas, instead of two separate jars, they made an executive decision to mix the two together into one big tub of gooey slime. Perhaps seeing the look of dismay on my face, they were quick to insist it was "so good" this way. I tasted it, for research purposes of course. The rest of the family voted with their tastebuds and it sat there more or less untouched. 

Which is good and just since the salsa diluted the thick gooey-ness of the cheese, and the cheese blunted the sharpness of the salsa. And it looked like, well, bloody vomit. Seeing the lack of enthusiasm, they rationalized that "it all goes to the same place anyway". I beg to differ. It's how it gets there that matters.

Bass and Treble:

During the early part of the Covid shutdown, looking for small joys as Armageddon approached, I decided we needed better speakers for the family computer. This realization was painful for me as I was always a punk-rock-lo-fi-anti-snob. ("Speakers shouldn't matter!") Yet even I was never quite satisfied with the ones that came with the computer, and I figured enough time had passed that new ones would have to be better.

Alas, my anti-snobbery came back to bite me in the ass as I didn't know good speakers from cans with strings attached. I ended up getting analog speakers again which, if anything, sounded even worse than the original ones. Shocking how you can't rely on Amazon user ratings.

It took some time for all this to sink in. Surely, I thought at first, the computer must be the problem. So I twiddled a few knobs hoping for salvation and then suffered in non-silence for a few more years. 

When we finally got a new computer last month, I held out for the possibility that those replacement speakers would magically sound better now. Alas, they sounded just as shitty as before, so I finally broke down and got new speakers. And wouldn't you know? Suddenly everything sounded great. 

The lesson, kiddies, is to keep that hi-fi equipment up to date! I recommend Quadrophonic speakers, which I avoided for the longest time because I thought they'd only play Quadrophenia. Not true. Other Who albums work, too.

That voice in my head said Uh Jaybee, how could you be sure it wasn't just a case of listening to better music? So I put on two albums I'd gotten a few months back that were not measuring up and used them to test the new speakers.

And Houston, we had separation! The salsa came out of the left speaker and the cheese came out of the right one. Just like God intended.

Two Things Reconsidered:

Elliott Smith: Figure 8 (2000)

Curmudgeon and ultimate casualty, Smith wasn't easy to like. and I didn't, at least not as much as I thought I should. 

My first record by him - and still my favorite - was XO. It featured Smith with a small band, which enabled him to balance out the quiet/confessional with Beatle-ish pop. And while a bit lightweight, it was also modest, tuneful, and sweet.

Then I got Either/Or which came out before XO, and was mostly Elliot solo and lo-fi. It was also not as tuneful and a bit nasty to boot. A big disappointment. I stopped there, at least for a while.

Then Jaybee Son Mike raved about this one, which came out after XO, so I thought I'd try it. 

Old speakers: It leans more heavily on Smith with a rock n' roll band. Although louder seemed a natural progression for Smith, more wasn't necessarily better. It rocked but all sounded the same. 

B+

New speakers: The band now had more definition. I could make out the individual instruments! And the lyrics, too, which were nasty as ever, but clever. Lucky for us, Smith puts a hummable melody on every song. 

A-

"Wouldn't Mama Be Proud"

Sufjan Stevens: Javelin (2023)

Old speakers: The latest Sufjan was somehow coming up short. It was as melodic as his other records, yet the impact was minimal. You don't usually have to wait a few listens for an SS album to sink in. The first listen does it. This time that didn't happen. Nor did subsequent listens.

It could be that - five albums in - I'm all Sufjaned out. (Point of diminishing returns, use of my dwindling time, and all that).

The musical arrangements moved away from the minimalism of Carrie and Lowell. I would have welcomed this except they sounded like bubble gum (not the musical genre, actual bubble gum shoved in the speakers). Not quite a turn-off. Just nothing very artful in it. "More" didn't sound like more. 

Here are the SS albums I've got already, in ascending order of "ornateness". I've included my overall rating, too. It's only about 25 percent of his total, and all pop, with none of his orchestral output. 

• Carrie and Lowell: Nearly sere folk with some minor flourishes. A- 
• Seven Swans: Serene acoustic religiosity A-
• Michigan: More orchestration, yet still modest, and miles from rock n roll. A
• Illinoise: Rivaling Michigan in its scope, with better production, more energy, and the occasional electric guitar. Some transcendence, A

As you can see, my admiration for SS only increases when he incorporates more musical elements into his records. Thus, Javelin should fit between the mournful Michigan and the joyful Illinoise. Still, I'm not moved.

B

New speakers: Now there was actual separation and clarity. The dynamics - previously absent - now were front and center. And sure enough, his melodies began to do what they've always done. I love some of it and greatly admire the rest. 

Plus, there's his great cover of Neil Young's "There's a World."  A relief, as his covers don't always hit the mark. In this case, though, I think he beats the original.

A-

"There's a World"

One More Thing, Reconsidered:

Given the huge difference the new speakers made for these two records, I had to wonder what other records I misjudged. There was one I specifically called out for a muddy sound, and gave it another shot, and it sounded ever so slightly better, and even there I might have been kidding myself. Alas, no great revelation to be had, except the one that says the Clash didn't need great sound, but Teenage Fanclub sure did. 

In other words, the speakers didn't matter. This time.

2016 Leftovers:

Oh, how I long for the days when Donald was just President-Elect and not yet Actual President. Then I only had my fears of what could be – and music – to contend with. Now that I know what will be, I am feeling nostalgic for last year when it was all just theoretical.

Plus, there were a bunch of records I never got around to, what with Car Seat Headrest blowing everything else away and all.

But these records are pretty good to excellent - you might even love some of them - arranged roughly in descending order of quality:


Go-Betweens: The Friends of Rachel Worth

Their first record after a hiatus of several years. So it’s sort of a reunion/comeback album, but with members of Sleater-Kinney as backing band. Sounds weird on paper but they provide perfect support. They drive at least as hard as the GBs of old. And why not? Lindy Morrison was their drummer for the longest time, and she banged it out as well as anyone, female or otherwise.

And it’s interesting to hear this current powerhouse incarnation paired with some of the more melodic songs they’ve ever done. “The Clock” shows how well it all goes together. That insistent beat and hard as nails guitar powering a lovely song.

I’m beginning to think I like the post-reunion GBs more than the pre. I find this record and Oceans Apart more satisfying that anything prior to the 1979-1990 best-of. Robert Forster used to go out of his way to sound out of tune. Now he’s calmed down a bit and the results are striking. Everything comes together here. Highly recommended.

A-

“Magic in the Air”



Robbie Fulks: Upland Stories

Sometimes I think all you need to understand that you’re listening to a great record - besides your ears - is a quiet Saturday morning. That’s was put this one over the goal line for me. I could finally luxuriate in Fulks’ voice, lyrics and tunes all at once.

Nice and easy folk and country  The tunes are perfectly suited to his voice.  The lyrics - when I hear them - are very worthwhile.  And the accompaniment is perfect.

Some great songs came out of 2016 and several of them are here.

A-
“Alabama at Night”



Angel Olsen: My Woman

It’s not just because she slightly resembles Laura Palmer that this is my nomination for the soundtrack for the next Twin Peaks. It’s also that the music has the weird vibe of Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. But where Neko Case’s voice cuts through the wilderness like a fog horn, Angel Olsen’s despair is right out of Fire Walk With Me.

Her exaggerated, emotive singing - at a high enough volume to push the needle to red - is a bit too much for Mrs. Jaybee, who asked that I not play it when she’s around. The weirdness even got to me when I heard a perfectly nice song almost ruined by a rumbling distorted guitar underneath the otherwise smooth sound – seemingly calculated to make things unnecessarily weird yet again – until I realized it was the sound my fridge was making. So I'll own that one.

After that, the rest kicked in nicely, with both the songs and the band playing them not letting up. She’s got the talent and the courage to back up her craziness.

A-
“Not Gonna Kill You”



John Prine: In Spite of Ourselves

Remember this guy? Back in the seventies he was considered one of the “New Dylans”, and he made several classic albums to almost back that claim up. Since then he’s continued down his own path, maybe not at the level of his early work, but still better than most.

This time around he does a duet album of country covers, which sounds like a really bad idea. After all, he’s a great songwriter. Why not do his own songs?

But he never had a great voice, and he’s got some great co-lead singers like Lucinda Williams, Iris DeMent, Trisha Yearwood, Connie Smith, Fiona Prine, Melba Montgomery, Emmylou Harris, Dolores Keane and Patty Loveless

The odd thing is that I originally assumed he wrote these songs. Shows what I know about country music. It turns out he only wrote one. But with Prine that’s the type of mistake one can make, he’s that good.

But you know how these things can go. You put it on once or twice, enjoy the “gimmick”  and then file it away because when you get down to it, it’s all a bit dull.

But not here. And it’s all in the execution. He picks high-quality songs that don’t demand too much of his voice, and the co-stars shine.

A grower.

A-
“In Spite of Ourselves”



Mitsky: Puberty 2

She’s got a lovely deep voice. And sounds way more normal that Angel Olsen. But when the music kicks in, she’s like Bjork-lite. And I mean that in a good way, because Bjork gets on my nerves.

These are “insinuating” melodies. They take a little longer to resolve but they do so just in time - before my ADD kicks in.

But because she’s more normal than Angel Olsen, she leaves less of an impression. I think.

B+
“Happy”




Willie Nelson: The Red-Headed Stranger

Years ago, when my mom said what good a voice Willie had, I didn’t take it as a ringing endorsement. I’ve lived to regret that.

I alway thought it was a woman thing to admire a guy’s voice. But it’s becoming more apparent to me that it’s Willie’s voice that really puts a lot of songs across. Stardust, for instance, might have been unbearable by anyone else. Now I can say I really like those songs.

Here, he’s doing country proud. Much more bearable than almost any country album I’ve gotten in years.

But it is about murder, so there’s that.

And there are a lot of melodies here that sound borrowed, but this record is over forty years old so it might just seem that way.

I think this one just got bowled over by the events of 2016. I’ll probably like it more as time goes on.

B+

“Hand on the Wheel”



American Music Club: Everclear

AMC started out as an obscure late-80s alt-rock band and turned into a slightly-less obscure early-90s alt-rock band.

I first heard them way back then while driving home from work. I have no idea what song it was I heard -  it isn’t on this record, or the other one I have by them - but it was off kilter enough to catch my attention.  It started with a minor chord based melody (misery is my favorite company) and then went into an instrumental break dominated by an aggressively strummed acoustic guitar. Pretty cool, I thought.

So I sought them out, first getting Mercury from 1993, which is pretty good - one of those records with a few very striking songs, a few annoying ones and a bunch in the middle.

Everclear is it’s predecessor from 1991. It’s more consistent, more melodic, but like Mitski, not quite strong enough to grab your attention.  Those same pretty melodies and arrangements make it harder to tell some of these songs apart.

They are/were led by singer/songwriter/alcoholic Mark Eitzel, whose voice isn’t pretty but pleasant enough when he’s not straining too much. Then he sounds like Elvis Costello with a sinus infection. (And Elvis already sounds like he’s got one.)

He does strain a couple of times here, but if the band keeps up with him it’s not awful. They pay his tab and drive him home safe.

I get the feeling this one will be a once-in-awhile-go-to record I’ll enjoy quite a bit.

But then I’ll file it away for a while before I need to hear it again.

B+
“Rise”



Elliott Smith: Either/Or

Elliot didn’t suffer fools gladly, himself included, and he’s having none of it here. Lots of songs about drinking and the ramifications thereof. You could find yourself humming a pretty tune with lyrics that will eat through your speakers.

But lurking beneath this is a very Beatle-y sense of melody and arrangement. Which doesn’t fully emerge until XO.

But this one’s got a bracing effect, like a person you respect who’s just thrown a cold drink in your face.  It makes you sit up and take notice. He may be mad, but you know he cares because he really wanted that drink.

Plus it’s got the right vibe for the times. Not giving sh*t. At least some of the time, right? Otherwise we’d all go mad.

B+

“Rose Parade”



James “Blood” Ulmer: Odyssey

Kind of strange: guitar, drums, fiddle, but no bass. And the stuttering rhythms make me wonder if the CD has a scratch in it.

It’s really hard to pin down the genre here. Sometimes jazz, sometimes rock, and weird, weird blues.

And then the gruff, ancient voice. Jimi Hendrix from Hell?  No, more like Purgatory.

B+

“Are You Glad to Be In America?”




At the Drive-In: Relationship of Command

Shrieky, and not at all what I had in mind for Thanksgiving, when I got it, but maybe what I need for the next four years.

Kind of like, Rage Against the Machine (Or was it System of a Down? I’ll have to ask my son.)

At first it nearly unbearable, but that was before the election. Now it sounds about right.

Compressed, focused, powerful. And maybe more than I can take.

B+

“Sleepwalk Capsules”



Gavin Bryars: Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet

Holy sh*t, does this go on. The same musical phrase for nearly an hour and a half. How dare I recommend such a thing? I can’t in good conscience. But I will tell you that I like it a lot.

Absolutely insane in its serene hour-plus of the same refrain over and over and over (and over) again.

At times, it’s quite beautiful, and I’ll probably put it on when no one else is around. You may not have time for all that, though.

B+

“Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet”




Joy of Cooking

This is old-style early-seventies blues played by white people. But that makes it sound really terrible. It’s not that bad. It is quite dusty though. I hear bits of Ani DiFranco, but it’s a little corny. That organ, ugh!

I hear enthusiasm but it’s hard to get past some seventies cliches.

The further back you go, the more time you have to give something.

B-
“Hush”



The Libertines: Up the Bracket

Loud obnoxious British louts. Produced by Mick Jones of the Clash, who was pretty obnoxious himself, so he ought to know.

But me? I don't know yet.

“Up the Bracket”



Music For the Age of Trumpy:

A lot of this and other music will have to get me through the next few years.

Most of the above is quite diverting, but maybe not useful for this moment in time.

Gavin Bryars is meant for “special” occasions.
At the Drive-In are good for rage, but I’m too old for that.
Glassworks is for Solace.
The Chills are Endurance.
The Libertines are F*ck It.
Elliot Smith is F*ck You.  (Not you. But you get the idea.)




And they will all be needed.

Free Again: Alex Chilton, RIP

Okay, I admit it.  My Big Star post may have been ill-timed.  Then again, with Big Star slated to play the South by Southwest Festival this month, so was Alex Chilton’s death.

Alex Chilton was not the greatest rock and roll artist of all time.  In fact, he's been compared to Rod Stewart in his capacity to turn his back on what he was great at.  But for a brief period of time, Alex Chilton could do no wrong.  And for a brief time after that, his selfdestructive habits created great art anyway.

In both cases, the public ignored it. 

Maybe it was a good thing that the Beatles broke up when they did, because hard rock was the in thing at the time.  In 1969, a friend told me that Led Zeppelin was better than the Beatles.  So, even with the great guitar playing on “Abbey Road”, it's hard to see the Beatles taken as seriously in that environment.  And in the mid-seventies, John Lennon himself ventured a guess that had they not broken up, they would probably have been doing music similar to ELO.  (Sorry, but, ewwww.)  So how could Big Star - the natural heirs to the Beatles – prosper in such an environment?

But to listen to their music now is to forget all that and wonder how they didn't make it, well, big.   But enough of that.

Alex Chilton, above all else, valued his freedom.  Why else break up the successful Box Tops?  Why else record "Free Again" right after it, and then later "You Can't Have Me."  There's a story about how a record company guy hanging out in the studio said that a new song Chilton was recording had hit potential.  Chilton, taking this opinion for what he thought it was worth, completely changed the arrangement.  To the song's detriment, probably.  But that was Alex for you.

Why else release a greatest hits record called “19 Years” instead of waiting one more year?

Why else put “Thank You Friends” - a natural album closer – second?
His behavior sent Chris Bell packing from Big Star, and yet they may have gone on to make even better music without him.

He had a great way of playing rhythm guitar, where the chords never seemed to come when you’d expect them – “You Can’t Have Me” and “What’s Going Ahn”, being great examples.

Artists from the Replacements, the Bangles, Elliot Smith and others know they owe a debt to Alex Chilton.  Alex himself could probably have cared less as he pretty much disavowed the Big Star records.  He was too busy making what he called "untamed" music.

He did eventually cave and do reunions with both the Box Tops and Big Star, but after decades of working in obscurity who could blame him?

So, no, he wasn't the greatest rock and roll artist of all time.  But he was great in the Bob Dylan and Neil Young tradition of going his own way and to hell with the consequences.

Well, he’s gone his own way again.  I hope we cross paths some time.

The Geezer's Guide to Buying CDs

I'm probably unlike you in that I buy a lot of CDs that I’ve not heard before. I don't mean that I haven't heard the whole thing. I mean that I haven't heard it at all. Sometimes I have no clue, other than what I’ve gathered from a review, what I’m about to hear. This is occasionally dismaying when the music actually starts. But just as often it’s thrilling. I’ve already written about the problem with buying CDs that you’ve already heard. I figure my batting average is at least as good as yours.

As far as actually tracking down stuff, I recommend checking your usual haunts once or twice. But if you can’t find it, consider joining a music club (I’m in BMG, and they aren’t bad at all). This will put a greater selection at your finger tips. If you still can’t find it, just order the damned thing from Amazon or J&R and be done with it. Your time is too valuable. You’re not a teenager who can haunt record stores for days at a time. 

Vinyl albums were risky to buy used, because they could be full of scratches, but were arguably (the arguer being the guy who sold it to you) playable. CDs either work or don’t work. If you can find them used, buy them. I’ve gotten some great albums this way (Randy Newman’s “Faust”, Old 97s “Fight Songs”, Elliot Smith’s “XO”). I've saved some money, too, but it does takes a lot of time to go through the bins and, well, it’s kind of pathetic. So if you must do it, be discreet. If necessary, wear a disguise.

Now, all of the above is geared towards tracking something down that you’ve already decided you want. The other way of shopping is to browse. You can spend a lot of time doing this, too, but it's usually more fun. It depends what you find. I'll admit that it takes a keen eye to discern between the pathetic bargain shelf mole and the perfectly respectable browser. (I think it’s all in the posture, myself. I do recommend dressing up like you’re on your lunch break from your important job. Everyone will see right through this, but they’ll appreciate the effort you’re making.)

Another thing I love to do is window shop. CDs are expensive so I try to keep my instinct to overbuy in check. But around my birthday I like to treat myself. (The spouse long ago learned that I’m impossible to buy a gift for, so my trip to the record store saves everybody lots of trouble, although I’m not above asking for a box set. By the way, don’t buy a box set from a record store! Look it up in your record club. Even with shipping, it’s GOT to be cheaper).

I browse the aisles, picking up whatever strikes my fancy. The reason I do this is because there’s no telling if I’ll find a lot of stuff or nothing, so I cast my net wide. That way I don’t end up with nothing to show for the time spent. There have been times when I had 30 or 35 CDs, and I'd only gotten up to the letter J. I’ve somehow convinced myself that there is dignity in this.

Now begins the paring process. I look at those 35 CDs and ask myself a series of questions.

1. Does it a nice cover? (What? It helped me pick up a very good Charles Mingus album. Besides, you want your friends to say, “Hey, what a nice cover!”)  
2. Is the title on the edge of the jewel box vertically centered? Again, you may not see the relevance here, but remember, this will take up precious space on your shelf. You’re probably going to end up with a neck cramp while reading the titles. It'll only be worse if the titles are unreadable. (On LPs, this area used to be called the “slug line”. I don’t know if they still call it this. This has kept me from buying many an album, which is a good thing. After all, there are children to be fed.) 
3. How many CDs do you already have by this artist? If you have a few, is this one going to be worthwhile? Maybe there’s another artist who you haven’t tried yet who deserves some of that attention. When in doubt, skip it. 
4. How about the price? They can vary wildly. The only problem with some of the cheaper ones is that they may be older albums that will soon be re-mastered, with bonus tracks added. Ah, but now they’re expensive again. Your call. 
5. How much music is on the CD? This can be tricky, as a little of a great thing is better than a lot of crap, but it’s something to consider. A CD can hold almost 80 minutes of music. Typical vinyl albums held less, and averaged about thirty-five minute per. The typical CD has at least 50 minutes of music on it. I hate buying CDs with only about thirty minutes on them. However if I followed this rule slavishly, I wouldn’t own the Shins “Chutes Too Narrow”, one of the best of the decade. 
6. Bear in mind that you should try to balance enjoyment with that horizon broadening that’s intended to ruin a good time. Another good balance is old music vs. current. How about intimidating vs. accessible? Melodic vs. rhythmic? 
7. What are the chances, based on what you know, that you’ll enjoy the CD? This step is optional. (Just kidding.)
   

By now you should be down to less than ten. Put those other CDs back where they belong! This is a pretty sad sight, but it’s the right thing to do. Now pare it down again. (You can leave these rejects lying around. Enough is enough. You’re not a saint. Besides, the security guard is getting suspicious.)

You should end up with about four CDs. You’ll never absorb more than that in the short term.

I predict that you’ll like one CD immediately, two others will be okay to good. You will hate one. Keep an eye on this one. It may be the one that broadens those horizons I’ve been warning you about. While the first three may be infatuations, it’s the one you hate that you’ll form a relationship with. And like some relationships, you might find yourself coming around to if you give it half a chance. But we’ll talk about at another time.

Now get home. Everyone is wondering where the hell you’ve been.