British Folk Girls are Cute

Laura Marling: 

I Speak Because I Can 

2010. Virgin Records 

Produced by Ethan Johns

Laura Marling - guitar, voice

Marcus Mumford - drums

Winston Marshall - banjo

Ted Dwane - double bass

Tom Hobden - fiddle

Ruth De Turberville - cello

Pete Roe - keyboards

Singles: 

• Goodbye England

• Devil's Spoke

• Rambling Man

I bought this album after I heard her cover of The Blues Run the Game on the radio.  I actually searched pretty hard to find out who she was and then which album has this particular song on it.  I discovered that the recording was done for an EP that I couldn't get a hold of.  So, I bought this album instead.  Laura Marling may be familiar from her work with Jonah and the Whale, or Mumford and Sons.  If these don't sound familiar, congratulations, you aren't a hipster, or indie music douche.  Marling is British folk.  There isn't anything else to say here.  The beauty of sound is simple, her voice needing not much aide.  This reminds me of Steel-eye Span, and Fairport Convention, only without excess instrumentation.  If quiet yet strong folk is what you desire, look no further.

A new project

I recently have a lot of time on my hands.  I've decided, after staring at my piles of CDs in my living room, that I ought to give them all a listen.  Partly because I have nothing better to do, and partly because, I think I've forgotten what I actually have.  So, from now on...  or at least for quite awhile, I will be listening to, learning about, and giving reviews for the music I find in my pile.
Everyday, I plan to pick out an album from the pile, give them a complete listen, and then add a post concerning what I've heard and perhaps some personal bits I can remember from purchasing the album, or whatever.  Enjoy.

Spin Doctors.  

Pocket Full of Kryptonite 

1991, Epic records.  

Produced by Peter Denenberg/Frankie LaRocka

Chris Barron - vocals

Aaron Comess - drums, percussion, Hammond organ, vocals

Eric Schenkman - guitar, piano

Mark White - bass

featuring John Popper on harmonica and John Bush on percussion

Singles:

• Jimmy Olsen’s Blues/Little Miss Cant be Wrong
• Jimmy Olsen’s Blues/ Yo Mama’s a Pajama
• Little Miss Cant be Wrong/ What Time is it?
• Two Princes/ Yo Mama’s a Pajama/ Little Miss Cant be Wrong
• Two Princes/ Off my Line/ Rosetta Stone
• What Time is it?/ Two Princes

               
Part of the jam band emergence from New York in the '80s and '90s, The Spin Doctors, fronted by Chris Barron, debuted their sound on this album.  A mix of blues and funk, and classic rock frames Barron’s great big voice.  Despite some silly uses of sound effects like ringing alarms clocks and phone tones, which were the fad at the time (early '90s), the album as a whole is excellent.  The singles are catchy, and proved that this particular music scene was radio worthy.  This is a complete album, no filler, and deserves to be in every rock collection.  It seems to pop up in just about everyone’s music pile anyway.  It has become a classic.  The downside is realizing that, partly due to Chris Barron's battle with throat cancer, the band disappeared after such a strong debut.  

Being a Good Sport... I got Ideas

I have a few ideas, excellent ideas if I don’t say so myself, to make contemporary sports better.

Item 1: Challenge Flags

I have to begin by supporting the often ridiculed NBA new rule for giving technical fouls for complaining to referees. If there is one thing that emasculates a sports icon is watching him complain like a 12 year old over a call that he thinks is unfair. At the moment, this tactic seems to work, although not completely. Superstar players seem to get more leeway, as they do with personal fouls.

To fix this problem, I looked at other sports, such as American Football, where referees don’t take nearly as much abuse from players and coaches as referees in basketball. Football coaches have something that basketball coaches don’t… challenge flags.

The challenge flag in football has created a system in which to review bad, often game changing calls. The system works well enough to keep coaches in check, allowing them some freedom to complain, but puts a limit on how many times the referees can be called in question. Basketball already limits the number of personal fouls a player can have, how many time-outs a team can call, why not put a limit on how many times a coach can jump up and freak out?

My solution: The Bobby Knight challenge chair. Each coach gets two red painted metal folding chairs a game, able to throw it on the court to challenge a call. No-calls are unchallengeable. Challenges that are not overturned result in a technical given to the coaching staff. Coaches who are out of order without throwing the chair get tossed. This probably wont do anything to change how players and coaches treat referees, but it would be very entertaining.

Item 2: Batting Box

Baseball is slow. Sometimes nine innings can last 4 hours or more. Sometimes this can make things uninteresting and unwatchable. Most of the problem is with hitters. A batter is able to step out of the box between pitches and hold everything up while he adjusts and readjusts himself, take a few swings, get comfortable, before stepping back into the box. Waste of time! Isn’t this what the on-deck circle is for, to get a batter ready to face the pitcher?

My solution: No stepping out. A batter can foul off as many balls as he wants, like Wade Boggs, to waste time, but he better be in the box ready for anything and swinging. Take time to fix your gloves while you watch your foul ball smack into the crowd in the upper deck. The consequence for holding up the arena while you adjust yourself… STRIKE! Just like a foul ball. You get two strikes for the first two times you step out of the box. I’m betting hitters will realize how comfortable and ready they are between pitches when they’re down a few strikes in the pitch count.

Item 3: “Kansas Playoff” Football Overtime

Currently, overtime in NCAA football is a joke. Also known as a Kansas Playoff, this overtime structure is used in NCAA, and high school, and Canadian league play. The idea is each team gets a chance to score from between 10 and 35 yards from the goal-line (depending on the league). The play keeps flip-flopping from offense to offense until there is a winner. Not so much fun to watch for fans, and has the potential to last forever.

My solution: kick-off

I looked to soccer and hockey for a better overtime system. In soccer and hockey, there is an overtime period, shorter than a normal half or period, and then after that, if there is still no clear winner, the teams go into a shoot-out. The team with the most goals at the end of the shoot-out gets the win. Pretty simple, fun to watch. The game is over in a predictable time period.

Now… how to use a shoot-out style overtime in football? Special teams! After a tie in regulation, each team gets a chance to score like in normal Kansas Playoff style. If there is still a tie after one round, the special teams take the field. Each field goal team takes turns kicking extra points through the uprights, and the defense gets to try and block the kick. If each team makes their kick, the next round starts ten yards back from the last kick: 10 yards the first round, 20 yards the second, 30 yards the third, etc, etc, until one team makes it and the other misses, like a shoot-out. Special teams would be more important than ever before and kickers will be heroes!

There is another sports blogger, much better than me, that has similar feelings towards these sorts of things. See Tom Jones and his 2 Cents.

Oops, I OD'd

I was thinking, recently, while watching a special on Kurt Cobain and reading the 50 greatest comic book characters of all time, that the greatest music tragedies of all time should be examined.

So... here are some that shouldn't be ignored as significant genre changers, ends or beginnings of cultural eras, and just plan old bad luck for music lovers.

1. The first of course is the infamous "day the music died" as portrayed in Don McClean's sometimes annoying ballad American Pie, and chronicled films like The Buddy Holly Story, and La Bamba. On February 3, 1959, the fledgling rock and roll industry was crushed by news that Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and JP Richardson had perished in a plane crash in Iowa.

The music scene would be forever changed, and artists such as Waylon Jennings, Elvis, and Jerry Lee Lewis wouldnt be the same. The first rock superstars are now legend.

2. Jimi Hendrix was able to crank out so much material in the studio prior to his 1970 overdose. Many have imagined what this guitar virtuoso would have been capable of if he had survived past the age of 27. True, now most kids picking up guitars can turn out sounds similar to Hendrix, but at the time, the style and sound was unlike anything previously heard. Everyone agrees he is a genius and we will all be able to only speculate on what would have come next.

3. John Lennon's death was a major shock to everyone, not just the music industry. A victim of a selfish, crazy super fan, Lennon's assassination stole what many believe was a brilliantly creative and loving mind from future music greatness and political activism... despite Yoko Ono.

4. Some say Randy Rhoads is Metal's equivalent of Hendrix. This makes his short career as Ozzy's axeman that much more subject to mythic and tragic adoration. Like Hendrix, Rhoads has been named as a major influence by many contemporary guitarists in the genre. Ironically, Rhoads died in a fiery plane crash... very Metal, and also a throw back to the greatest plane crash in rock history (see number 1).  and perhaps if Rhoads survived, Ozzy wouldnt suck now.

5. Seattle's music scene in late 80s and early 90s exposed rock and roll excess as ridiculous and childish, and cemented the more realistic nature of art mirroring truth . Kurt Cobain's suicide brought this renaissance to a crashing halt, and highlighted the fragility of the mind of a damaged artist and addict. Nirvana was survived by the future success of drummer Dave Grohl's project the Foo Fighters, and Courtney Love's embarrassing antics and long arrest record.

Other notable tragedies are:

Janis Joplin. She has been vaulted to near mythic status, due to a career in music that is borderline appropriation. Her finest moment: the Canadian railroad tour in 1970 with the Grateful Dead, the Band, and Buddy Guy. 

Bradley Nowell. Sublime's front man OD'd and ended the career of a band so unique and talented, there could have been so much more.

Shannon Hoon. His greatest mistake... hanging out with Axl Rose. But we'll always have No Rain. 

Jim Morrison. I hate this guy. But for some reason, the Lizard King is a legend. Dirtbag.

Jerry Garcia. Greatly missed. His death came during a tumultuous point for the band, having gone from counter culture underground success to hugely popular fandom bordering cult following, it was only a matter of time before the band either took a much needed break, or someone died.

Bobby Sheehan. Bassist and soul of Blues Traveler... the band and Jon Popper have never been the same... they suck now.

Cliff Burton. quite possibly the best metal bassist ever. It took Metallica decades to get over.

Biggie and Tupac. Although I dont necessarily care, the hip hop community thought it was a big deal. the genre hasnt been the same. its too bad that terrible rappers like Puff Daddy and 50 Cent cant die.

Cult Films

I love movies.

Recently, I was reading about cult films, which are little known, small budget films that have a highly devoted fanbase. Some of the lists of cult films that I found on the interweb include some pretty big budget films, like Fight Club and ShowGirls, and well known family movies such as Willy Wonka, Princess Bride and the Goonies. These films shouldn't count as cult films, as they have become part of the general culture. Wikipedia goes further to state that cult films have a habit of creating subcultures.

I would say that once a subculture is formed, it no longer has a cult following, it has a subculture. For example, Trekkies are not cultists, but they are a subculture. Star Wars, once had a cult following, grew into a subculture, but since has outgrown its subculture into the general mainstream.
 

Frank Zappa once said that his favorite monster movies were cheap ones. And cheap didn't necessarily mean budget, but low budgets help. It has more to do with the strings attached to the giant spider. Cult movies are best when corners are cut, acting is poor, and writing is predictable, or downright awful.

You may ask what are some of the best cult films EVER? I just happen to have a few thoughts on the matter. Here are some of my choices...

1. Rock and Roll High School -- High school rebellion movie + the Ramones = awesome! Punk rock is probably going to be a huge theme in this post. The film is full of random dream sequences, '80s teen angst, and over the top authority stereotypes.

2. Toxic Avenger -- Probably the epitome of the cult film idea, the Toxic Avenger's story is about a 98 pound weakling who receives superhero strength from an unlikely accident. Sound familar? Instead of cool spider-like powers, or strength and agility from a super serum, or lightning from the gods, the Toxic Avenger is mutated by radioactive toxins. He's probably the best thing to come out of Jersey aside from the Boss. This is a Soma Film, infamous for making terrible B-movies (D-movies, more like). This is their most well known. 

3. Hedwig and the Angry Inch -- Crazy, angry musical about a transvestite rock singer. Its like a David Bowie concept album. The gender, sexuality, coming of age and fringe culture plots make this a favorite with college students, and Pride groups, but the overall theme of consequences of childhood trauma, and human beauty transcends any sexuality or gender politics.

4. SLC Punk -- Matthew Lillard is the man... and then he did Scooby Doo. This indy film is all about the hardcore punk scene in the '80s. However, it follows a predictable plot, much like Menace to Society and The Anarchists Cookbook. The Anarchists Cookbook even has a similar protagonist in a similar subculture, but this film is far superior. Basically, a kid involved in a subculture has a life changing experience and ends up joining the mainstream. Still cool though. Don't be a poseur, watch it.

5. Animal House -- Most definitely the best National Lampoons movie ever, and arguably the best frat movie of all time. A must see for every aspiring college student, this should be required viewing in high school college prep classes. This film helped launch John Belushi's short lived movie career, and debuted Kevin Bacon, and Karen Allen. Written by Harold Ramis and Doug Kenney and directed by John Landis, this film features so many legends in comedy. 

6. Big Lebowski -- This is a surprisingly talented cast for a movie that has almost no critical acclaim. The movie has everything anyone could want in a film: bums, nihilists, Tara Reid, bowling, a marmot, The Jesus, and a rug that really tied the room together. Needless to say, this film is probably the most recognizable on this page. It blew up all over pop culture after it left the theaters.

7. Clerks -- shot on a small budget, in black and white, it has a B-movie feel, without the horrible acting and writing of a B-movie. This film was written by and for cult film enthusiasts. A day in the life of store clerks with no true plot equals excellent mindless cinema. This is Kevin Smith's first film, and launched him into the hearts of fanboys and girls everywhere.

8. Rocky Horror Picture Show -- Not only is it a musical, its a creepy transgendered musical. Best seen in a theater where you can experience the cult following first hand (there is cosplay, and sing-a-longs). Like most of these films, everyone should see The Rocky Horror Picture Show at least once.  and yes, that is Tim Curry in drag.

9. Evil Dead -- Before Zombieland, before Rose McGowan with an AK for a leg, before videogames like Left 4 Dead, and Resident Evil, there was Bruce Campbell with a chainsaw for a hand. There are two sequels, and they rebooted the franchise in 2013.

10. Repoman -- Punk rock soundtrack? check. Young Emilio Estevez? check. Chevy Malibu with a cosmic secret? check. whats not to like?