As long-time readers are aware, it would be something of an understatement for me to note that I have never been a fan of KISS.
In fact, one of the best things I ever wrote for publication was a review of the four simultaneous 1979 KISS members solo albums done in the style of a Raymond Chandler detective story.
It's tone was not, shall we say, enthusiastic. 😎
That allowed, a lot of my younger friends -- people whose opinions I respect despite their callow years (that's a joke, people) -- do think highly of KISS, and they have often expressed why in passionate and plausible ways. Two obvious recent examples: Our amigo Sal Nunziato over at Burning Woodjust last Friday, and former Video Review colleague Doug Brod, whose recent book They Just Seem a Little Weird makes the case for them quite persuasively.
And of course I would not be so foolishly arrogant as to dismiss Sal and Doug's views out of hand, although, as I've hopefully made clear, I remain, er, unconvinced about KISS on a fairly profound, perhaps even cellular, level.
But, finally, I would be remiss if I did not conclude by acknowledging that one of my all time favorite bands, The Replacements, liked KISS. A lot.
I mean, a REAL lot.
And that they also did this superb cover of one of their songs.
So when all is said and done, what I'm really getting at today is -- there's just no way I'm gonna argue with Paul Westerberg and company on this subject.
And despite my larger personal feelings about KISS's music, I'm just gonna leave it at that.
[This was one of the very first Listomanias I posted -- back in 2007 (yipes)-- and to be honest, I had totally forgotten about it until the other day, when the subject of the Jefferson Airplane came up in casual conversation. In any case, I think that thematically it's pretty cool; as per usual, I've done some rewriting and made a couple of substitute nominations, just to keep my hand in. -- S.S.]
Okay, I have a birthday coming up (next Tuesday) and although I'm still younger than the demented vulgarian sitting in the People's now gilded White House, my work ethic just ain't what it used to be.
That being the case, I'm disinclined to write a long lead to today's post.
So let's get immediately to the business at hand.
To wit:
Sophomore Albums That Surpassed (Artistically) The Really Good Debut Albums That Preceded Them!!!
You know the cliche -- you have your entire life to write your first record, and then you have six months to write your second, which is why a lot of followup albums disappoint.
Perhaps the most obvious example is Pretenders II; an estimable work with some terrific songs, but small beer compared to the epochal first one.
More absurdly, think of the second Hootie and the Blowfish album.
Or rather, please don't think of it, as Hootie sucked right out of the gate, IMHO.
Although Fairweather Johnson was a really great album title. 😎
In any event, what do YOU think are the post-Elvis (Presley) rock/pop/folk/country/soul albums that best avoided the usual sequel slump?
Arbitrary rule: Nothing by The Beatles, or any other Brit invasion band is allowed, due to the fact that the difference between Brit and American album releases of the period is too obvious and confusing.
Okay -- submitted for your approval, my top of my head Top Eight would be......
8. Jefferson Airplane -- Surrealistic Pillow
I happen to be a fan of Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, which features work by their original drummer (and one of my all time musical heroes) the late great Skip Spence. That said -- c'mon. If you don't know that Pillow is a better album on every level, you probably shouldn't be allowed to take cash machine money out of your own account.
7. MC5 -- Back in the USA
The 5's debut -- recorded live -- was often impressive as a political and musical template, but the songwriting was inconsistent and the whole thing ultimately devolved into aural sludge at some point. However, the followup -- despite the fact that future Springsteen guru Jon Landau's production sucked hippo root -- featured short concise songs that totally rocked and got the band's revolutionary message over with a surprising level of wit and irony.
6. The Byrds -- Turn! Turn! Turn!
Not perhaps so staggeringly innovative as the first album -- which, after all, invented an entire new genre and sound -- but some of the songwriting and performances (the title track and the above Gene Clark masterpiece, for example) clearly surpassed the debut.
5. Marah -- Kids in Philly
Their indie debut was promising, but this is one of the great records of the 90s, an all but perfect mashup of Bruce Springsteen and The Replacements. They never even came close to equaling it, alas. I should add that it is one of my longtime dreams to play the song above live at very high volume in a band onstage somewhere. Which won't happen, but still.
4. Buffalo Springfield -- Buffalo Springfield Again
Not a dud song in the bunch, and production-wise it makes their first album sound like it was recorded on Edison cylinders.
3. Amy Winehouse -- Back to Black
Because we like to have something recorded in this century.
But seriously, folks -- Winehouse's debut album was the work of a talented journeyman with a lot of great influences. The followup, however, was the work of a fully formed artist.
I should add that special bonus points will be awarded to any reader who credibly posits a superior sophomore album by any artist SINCE Back in Black (which came out in 2006). I mean hell -- I'm hard pressed to think of a really good DEBUT record by ANYBODY in that time span. 😎😎
2. Bruce Springsteen -- The Wild, the Innocent and the E-Street Shuffle
The Boss's first album had its moments and changed a lot of lives, my own included. But this one? It sounds, still, like the kind of music that contains multitudes, the kind of rock-and-roll you only vaguely remember from the best dream you ever had.
And last but definitely not least....
1. Elvis Costello and the Attractions -- This Year's Model
Inarguable, I think, and thus further exegesis on my part would be superfluous.
So -- 59(!) years ago this evening, the incomparable Grace Slick made her official stage debut with Jefferson Airplane. Who amongst us does not recall where we were at the time? 😎
In any case, for want of a more appropriate clip to commemorate the occasion, here she is waxing highly amusing with Dick Cavett a couple of years later.
Wotta cutie. And I particularly like the stuff about Finch College. 😎😎
From the other night at the London Palladium, please enjoy The Patti Smith Group (with original members Jay Dee Daugherty and Lenny Kaye, plus two of Patti's kids) and a terrific version of her anthemic (and still desperately pertinent) "People Have the Power."
Oh -- and with some special guest movie actor who apparently is somewhat controversial these days, and who ruined the show for at least one Brit critic.
The occasion was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Patti's debut album Horses; the song in question, of course, is from her fifth (1988) album Dream of Life, but what the heck -- who's counting? 😎
In any case, and speaking of that critic: It was Uncut's Sam Richards.
Take it away, Sam!
...But then Patti risks undoing all the goodwill she’s accrued over the previous two hours by bringing out auxiliary guitarist Johnny Depp. It’s a baffling misjudgement.
For a start, he adds nothing musically – and dressed ostentatiously in a fedora and an assortment of tie-dye rags, he inevitably serves to draw attention away from the show’s real star. But Depp is also a hugely divisive character, for obvious reasons. Smith’s traditional set-closer “People Have The Power” is always likely to lack its usual unifying qualities when there is a woman stood behind you shouting “Fuck off, Johnny!” throughout the song.
You can read the complete review, which is considerably more enthusiastic than that excerpt, over at the Uncut web page HERE. You're welcome very much.
From his just released album Only Fools Fall In Love Again, please enjoy Twigs touring bass player Danny Ayala and the utterly adorable hook laden pop confection that is his "I Don't Like Her."
Sounds very Twigs-ish, which is both a compliment and not a huge surprise, to be sure. I should add that the way the chorus takes off instrumentally, in particular, just slays me. 😎
From the guitarist's finished basement in (I think) 2020, please enjoy Middle Aged Dad Jam Band (MADJB) and the damndest version of "Born to Run" you'll ever hear.
Okay, I stumbled across that clip by total accident over at YouTube the other day, and I lack the words to convey just how charming I think it is, the sax player's deficiency in the Clarence Clemons department notwithstanding. (And BTW, he's the drummer's kid. 😎)
In any case, if you were wondering, those guys are a bunch of previously/highly successful actors and comedians who -- in the wake of the COVID epidemic -- got together to play music and found that they had stumbled on to an alternate career.
You can find out more about them over at their Wiki entry HERE.
And more usefully at their official website over HERE.
Hey -- I think you'll find the backstory fascinating. Not to mention the video links. 😎 😎
Meanwhile, all of the above leads us inexorably to the subject of our up to date business. To wit:
If you wandered into a local bar and there was a tribute band playing there (for free) -- what band (artist) would be you be most or least hopeful it would in tribute of?
Discuss!!!
Okay, no arbitrary rules whatsoever, but let's leave The Beatles out of it.
I mean, what could be more cliched than some Beatlemania shit?
Alrighty then -- forgetting the Fab Fauxs thing, what would YOUR choices be?
Which turned out (surprisingly) to be located, a few blocks from our rather upscale hotel, in a fashionable/trendy underground shopping mall called the Waverly Market.
We shot the breeze with the store's droll proprietor, the irrepressible Kevin Buckle...
...who's been running the place (in a variety of venues) for nearly 40 years (five in its current digs) and who has an impressibly encyclopedic knowledge of all things pop. And in general we had an absolutely fabulous afternoon at the place.
Here's the aforementioned Shady Dame of my aquaintance looking through the merchandise...
...and here she is (back in the States) with the incredible Yardbirds b-sides comp -- Psycho Daisies -- she scored after scouring the store's LP racks.
I should add that we also bought a vinyl copy of Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, and I grabbed a really cool black hoodie that has the store's logo on the back (which I wore for pretty much the rest of our time in the Scottish capitol). I also gave Kevin a couple of CD copies of The Floor Models' Esprit de Floor (oh right -- you didn't see THAT coming) -- and he has since informed me that it is in heavy rotation on the the Avalanche in-store playlist.
Anyway, just a terrific afternoon; if you find yourself in Edinburgh (which I highly recommend in general -- it's a helluva town) be sure to check it out. And when you do, tell Kevin that PowerPop sent you.
Meanwhile, you can find out more about the place at their informative website over HERE; their physical address is Waverly Market, 3 Waverly Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1BQ.
An idiosyncratic blog dedicated to the precursors, the practioners, and the descendants of power pop.
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