8 April 2013 (Day 128) – Recent Purchase Update

It was just another day at work.  There is nothing much of interest to report from work and a quiet night at home with “M”.

As such, it was a perfect day and night to get through a few recent purchases from the last couple of weeks, starting with:

(# 344) Aphex Twin – Come To Daddy (1999)

This is a 32 minute release that brings together two 4 track EPs that were originally released to promote the Come To Daddy single.  There are three versions of the track on the disc, the first being a harsh industrial version.  However, for the most part this, I suppose, mini album is dominated by gorgeous electronic melodies complete with vocals.  This is not something you normally associate with an Aphex Twin release and is something I hope Richard D James would attempt more often.

(# 345) Danzig II –Lucifuge (1990)

On paper this shouldn’t work.  After all Glen Danzig doesn’t have the strongest voice in the world – he sounds here like an out of tune Ian Astbury – for the traditional metal fare offered early on.  Yet somehow, Rick Rubin’s production turns this into a disciplined and tuneful modern metal album complete with some surprises.  I’m The One appears to channel Elvis Presley’s Sun Sessions, slide guitar is included on 777 and the final track, Pain In The World, ends with what can only be described as something approaching AC/DC’s patented boogie.

(# 346) Destroy All Monsters – Silver Wedding Anniversary (1996)

I bought this hoping that this version of the band would contain the then former Stooge Ron Asheton on guitar but alas it was not to be.  This is a live recording from their 25^th Anniversary Runion Tour in 1995, hence the title.  After the introductory organ version of Roy Orbison’s In Dreams, I was expecting an album of fired up Detroit rock much in the same vein of Dark Carnival where lead singer Niagra had teamed up with Asheton.  Instead, the music was very much in British post punk mode being sonic landscapes with random words and sound effects and vocals on only a handful of tracks.  One of these is a version of Killing Me Softly but otherwise most of the tracks very much blend into each other.  It’s not what I expected but its an interesting listen nonetheless.

(# 347) Sonic’s Rendezvous Band – The Second Chance (recorded 1977; released 2008)

Sonic is Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith, guitarist with the MC5 and the late husband of Patti Smith.  This was the band he formed after the demise of the 5 but they never got round to recording a studio album.  A number of live albums of different performances have been released over the last 10 years or so and this is the second one that I’ve bought.  It is a double CD that sounds like an audience recording of a show in Ann Arbour, Michigan, in February 1977.  On the earlier tracks, the band sounds like it is in second gear when compared to the other CD I have, Sweet Nothing, recorded at the same venue 14 months later.  Towards the end of the first disc, they attempt a pretty good version of Dylan’s Like A Rolling Stone and this seems to open the floodgate.  It’s followed by a blistering version of Do It Again (a song covered by our very own Celibate Rifles) and a rousing Hearts.  Disc 2 starts with You Gotta Suceed (If You Really Try), a rocking number modelled on The Stones Little Queenie and after this, the band doesn’t look back.  Sweet Nothing still gets my vote due to its clearer sound but this would be a corker too if the earlier tracks were discarded.