18 February 2013 (Day 49) – Did Richard Wilkins Say Mudhoney?

So far in this endeavour I’ve only been able to establish any subconscious selections of listening matter as a reaction against or complementing something I’ve just played.  Today I’ve been able to trace a selection back to something that occurred earlier in the day and that something is Channel 9’s Entertainment Editor Richard Wilkins. 

For the most part Wilkins’ music reports are right from smack in the middle of the road, not surprising really given that they’re made for morning television in the guise of the Today show.  I’d imagine his brief would be to highlight acts fitting the show’s target demographic.  Judging from the majority of musical acts profiled, I’d image that would be either elderly or musically conservative viewer.  Pink would be about as radical an act as can be envisaged.

This morning’s story was a pleasant enough conversation with jazz singer Norah Jones who is currently on an Australian tour.  At the end of the piece he held up the cover of her latest album and stated for anyone interested that it was based on a Mudhoney poster she saw on the walls of the studio where it was recorded.

My ears pricked up.  Did I just hear the word “Mudhoney” escape from the lips of the mighty sage? Did he mean Mudhoney the Seattle masters one writer referred to as the grunge connoisseur’s band of choice?  You mean he’s heard of them and – gulp – their music?  Then darker thoughts started to circulate.  What’s his motive?  Is he trying to impress someone out there?  To win a bet? Earn credibility points the next time he hosts the ARIA’s?  The mind boggled.

Anyway, I had a meeting first thing up this morning so by the time I had a chance to play something, I’d forgotten all about it.  But then I selected:

(130) Mudhoney – Under A Billion Suns

This is one of Mudhoney’s most recent albums and one of their most satisfying.  It neatly encapsulates everything that makes this band great; grungey rockers like It Is Us, and Empty Shells, slower dirges such as Where Is The Future? And Hard-On For War and tracks incorporating horns into the mix.  But the big difference here, as demonstrated by the song titles cited here, is in marrying their sonic template to lyrics of real substance.  These really suit Mark Arm’s voice, one of the best in all of rock.

Now I’m not sure whether I can extend the Wilkins memory further but the only other album I played was:

(131) Talking Heads – Fear Of Music

This is my favourite Talking Heads album although I really can’t determine how much of the credit resides with its producer Brian Eno.  Side 1 of the original vinyl release was absolutely flawless and practically a record in its own right.  It started with I Zimbra, its African rhythms anticipating the next album Remain In Light.  Then came Mind, Paper, Cities, the brilliant Life During Wartime before finishing up with Memories Can’t Wait, a side of such brilliance that I frequently played it twice before going onto Side 2 (if it all).  Although it contains such staples as Air and Heaven, Side 2 pales into comparison but that is testament to the brilliance that preceded it rather than any shortcomings.