28 August 2013 (Day 240) – Interesting Concepts

Everyone has ideas.  Some are good others are bad.  Then there’s this blog which I fear fits under the category, “Good idea at the time”.  In my defence, it was the product of a clearly focused mind operating at maximum capacity completely unfettered by any negative thoughts.  Or, put another way, the idea came to me whilst I was on holiday and I didn’t think through the ramifications of my bright idea.  Don’t get me wrong; writing this blog has been a satisfying experience but I didn’t count on the strain of finding a different angle for each day, the need to set aside time to write my posts or the ever present fear I would accidently play an album I’ve already played this year. 

This was my thought process this morning as I struggled to think of an album to kick start my day.   As I scrolled through my iPod artist list, I came across a band that is practically one of a kind.  I wondered how this band came together and wondered whether it was the product of a deliberate thought process.  Irrespective of how this occurred, I concluded that at some stage, someone must have thought “Mmm. Interesting concept”.  Certainly I did when I first heard about and then heard;

(# 564) Morphine – Cure For Pain (1993)

Morphine was a band that comprised a 2 string slide bassist, a saxophonist and a drummer.  They recorded about four albums of what could only be described as propulsive low hi alternative epics topped off by the distinctive deep vocals of bassist Mark Sandman.  Cure For Pain is their best album and showcases a remarkable diversity of tunes, highlighted by the turbocharged Thursday, the extremely smooth title track and the hit that should have been Sheila.  Unfortunately, Sandman died in 1999 but not before leaving some of the most intriguing music ever recorded.

(# 565) The Polyphonic Spree – Live From Austin, Texas (2004)

Take a band, add a horn section, add a 12 person choir, dress everyone in flowing robes and record songs that sound like an indie version of the Hair soundtrack and you have The Polyphonic Spree.  Live From Austin Texas is a CD of a DVD of their appearance on the show of the same name, which cherry picks the best tracks from their first two albums, The Beginning Stages Of and Together We’re Heavy.  The result is a show that is almost impossible to resist especially with such trippy and relentlessly “happy” tracks such as It’s the Sun, Two Thousand Places and the epic closer When The Fool Becomes A Man.  If you ever feel the urge to torment a Goth, put this on and which ‘em squirm.

(# 566) Dread Zeppelin – Live.  The Song Remains Insane (Disc 2 only) (1998)

Just how do I put this?  Dread Zeppelin is a Californian band that, at this stage of their career, played reggae versions of Led Zeppelin songs with vocals courtesy of their lead vocalist Tortelvis, an overweight jump suited Elvis Presley impersonator.  Apparently this album of live recordings was only released in Australia, but I only play disc 2 which mostly consists of a 3JJJ Live At The Wireless studio gig.  And it’s a hoot.  A version of Las Vegas era Elvis See See Rider kicks off proceedings leading into their peerless covers of Immigrant Song, Black Dog, and Heartbreaker.   A couple of self penned songs, Do The Claw and the hiliarious Big Ol’ Gold Belt continue things marvellously before Viva Las Vegas provides an appropriate closer.  Non JJJ tracks on this disc includes a version of Crosby Stills and Nash’s Woodstock and a snippet from US radio were Robert Plant rang in during a live Tortelvis interview.

(# 567) Hayseed Dixie – A Hillbilly Tribute To AC/DC (2001)
In case you misread the above, yet me repeat that this album consists of bluegrass versions of AC/DC tunes.  For the most part they sound fine, Highway To Hell, You Shook Me All Night Long, Hell’s Bells and Money Talks faring best.  There really isn’t much else to report other than to say that if you like this, try Beatallica, a Canadian band that plays Beatles songs, Metallica style.