How Do You Say "Wretched Excess" in Yiddish?

Okay, as you may have heard yesterday over at our pal Sal's invaluable BURNING WOOD BLOG (or elsewhere on the Intertubes), but there's a brand new six disc (CD and Blu-ray) box set of The Who's 1975 album The Who By Numbers just out. I haven't heard it yet, nor am I likely to anytime soon; frankly, a) it's a little pricey, and b) I'm still trying to digest the recent 7CD complete Lovin' Spoonful anthology on Cherry Red I got as an early birthday present the other week. Plus, at this point in life, my attention span is pretty much shot to shit, and I'm reminded of a friend's comment when I asked if he'd seen Christopher Nolan's recent and much-raved about film version of The Odyssey. "Are you kidding?" he replied. "Jeebus, it's like four hours long."

Yeah, yeah, both he and I were kidding about the above to some degree, and in fact, I've loved most of TWBN since forever, although to be equally honest I haven't listened to it since probably sometime in the last century. Still, upon reading Sal's thoughts on the album, I got curious as to what I had said about it when it was new. So here, exactly as it appeared in the January 1976 issue of The Magazine Formerly Known as Stereo Review, is my critique. If you have difficulty reading, you should be able to click on it to enlarge.

I'm not sure I still completely agree with all the judgements expressed in the piece, but I think I got most of it basically right. In any case, please enjoy if possible, and cut me some slacque, Jacques -- I was a kid at the time. 😎

Your thoughts?

Your Tuesday Music-Themed Cartoon Chuckles

Of course, you do have to be at least over 50 to get that last one. 😎

It's Labor Day!!!

From 1982, please enjoy the irrepressible Gary U.S. Bonds and his ironically upbeat ode to unemployment "Out of Work."

Attentive readers will recall that the above is something of a holiday tradition around these parts of late, primarily due to the fact that its predecessor in that regard, The Strawbs' "Part of the Union," turns out to be considered something of a Tory anthem in its home country (I'm still a little puzzled by that, actually). In any event, I've always loved the Bonds record, and it remains, to this day, pretty much my favorite of all the songs Bruce Springsteen gave away to other artists.

In any event, enjoy your holiday barbecues, and my apologies for the weekend screw-up in the comments section; I have no idea what caused the problem, but apparently it's been resolved.

Your Fin de La Semaine Moment of Reflected Glory

More specifically, the promo video for Uncovered, the latest album from longtime occasional bandmate and Friend of PowerPop© (and moi) Ronnie D'Addario.

Apart from Ronnie's usual batch of to die for new 60s-inspired pop confections, ss you can see from the track listings, there are a lot of really brilliantly chosen cover songs on the album -- here's a venerable folkie classic that Ronnie assures us is pretty much his favorite of the bunch.

Attentive readers will of course recall Ronnie both as the father of The Lemon Twigs and as a frequent contributor to some of The Floor Models recordings in the current century; if you're familiar with the music his kids make, you'll grok that talent is inheritable, and that in this case the proverbial apples don't fall very far from the tree.

In any case, Ronnie's been releasing stuff as good as the above on his own CDs since the 80s (or maybe the '90s, but I'll check) and I couldn't be happier that he's finally getting the kind of critical recognition that he has long deserved. I don't have the CD purchase/streaming link for the new one yet, but I left him a message about same (it was his birthday this past Wednesday) and I'll put the link up as soon as Ronnie recovers from his celebratory hangover (I keed, I keed!!!). I should also add that one of the most admirable things about him is that he differs from most contemporary musical icons in that he has a genuine work ethic reminiscent of the 60s musicians -- Beatles, Byrds, Beach Boys -- who inspired him. Here's what I had to say about his last album (which he did with The Twigs, who work pretty hard themselves, come to think of it) and which dropped (as today's yutes say) all the way back in the misty dim historical recesses of late November last year.

You should get that one too, it goes without saying. 😎

Meanwhile, have a great holiday weekend everybody!!!

Closed for Monkey Business

Computer trouble AND some serious back stuff from that injury five weeks ago. Here's a hint: Don't get old, kids.

Regular -- and extremely groovy -- music posting involving a long-time Friend of PowerPop© resumes on the morrow.

The Present-Day Avant-Pop Weirdo Refuses to Die

Okay, now here's something you don't hear as often as you used to.

By which I mean a quirky, unbelievably well produced, conceivably even commercially-radio ready pop-rock confection that clocks in, remarkably, at under two minutes.

That's LA duo Scaled Alps and "Celestial Sighs," the second track from their just released new album Let the Alpine Play. I haven't really completely digested it (the song) yet, but in its own surprisingly accessible way, it strikes me at the moment as kinda the most genuinely contemporary-sounding thing I've heard (and more confoundingly actually liked) in what seems like ages.

You can find out more about these guys -- and order the above and the rest of their earlier output -- at this convenient link OVER HERE.

Tuesday's Music-Themed Cartoon Chuckles

The Lennon one made me laugh out loud. 😎

Dollymania (Part the Infinity)

Not sure what I feel about this one (which I don't think I had ever heard previously), but let's just say that whatever "it" is, Dolly possessed it.

La Fin de La Semaine Essay Question: Special "Letter From Liverpool" Edition

From some time in the 'teens, please enjoy pride of Massachusetts The Ticks and their, shall we say, interesting cover of The Beatles' "Because."

The Ticks, I should point out, are an all-gal band from the Cape Cod Area; one of them is also a cashier at a Trader Joe's in Hyannis, which is where my long time friend/Weasles bandmate Allan Weissman recently discovered them. I'm not 100% sure what I think of their rendition -- the synth keyboards strike me as a little schmaltzy and the vocals occasionally veer into pixie-ish -- but overall it's certainly attractive and I think on balance does justice to the song.

Which leads us, inexorably and inevitably, to the subject of today's business. To wit:

...and your favorite (or least favorite) cover of a song by the Fab Four -- either by the group itself or by an individual band member solo -- is...???

Discuss.

No arbitrary rules whatsover, and I can't wait to hear what you go for.

And in case you're wondering, these are my favorites in the Favorite category.

Simply gorgeous in both cases. And I'd tell you my candidate in the Least Favorite category, but I'd feel like too much of a party pooper. 😎

Alrighty then -- what would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

Songs I'd Forgotten Existed, Let Alone Loved (An Occasional Series): Special "That's DESERT Rose, Not Acuff" Edition

From their utterly brilliant eponymous debut album (in 1987), please enjoy The Desert Rose Band (featuring hero of my youth Chris Hillman) and their to-die-for country rock confection "One Step Forward."

Hillman has made so much good music in so many different band contexts -- beginning, obviously, with The Byrds in 1965 -- that it's almost supernatural. That said, the abovementioned Desert Rose LP is a particular fave, and it was nice to discover that it hasn't dated a whit since I heard it last (some time in the '90s. if memory serves).

I should add that I had the opportunity to interview Hillman back in 2020, on the occasion of the publication of his terrific autobiography Time Between, and he couldn't have been more gracious, charming and funny.

Hey -- that has not always been the case when I've encountered longtime musical idols. 😎