Scott Walker-The Drift

There's gotta be more than a few of you out there who see this day as just amateur hour for dilettantes who drink shitty champagne and act like assholes three times a year. Buddy, I can drink any day I want and i definitely don't need you blowing that party favor in my face. If you're like me and hate all these obnoxious celebrants might I suggest a nice bottle of Żubrówka and this portable black hole. I'm betting that every one who wants to hear this already owns it, since it's truly essential, but since this blog is really just about posting albums I like and secretly fear I might lose/get stolen, it's reassuring to me to know that I can always have it (even if it is in a virtual form). I've had people try to argue with me that Scott Walker is over rated. If they we're just basing this on his early out put I may be slightly swayed. But when you consider this album and Tilt, those people sound like a bunch of dunces who probably listen to Wilco. I say fuck them.

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Todd Rundgren-A Wizard, A True Star

A while back I mentioned how I was excited to see some of Ol' Todd's belongings in the rock & roll hall of fame. And I was sincere about that, even though a few of you called bull shit. So to those people, might I present you with this? I love the Nazz, but this has got to be his finest work. It's a really odd album throughout. Too bad his record company were dicks about the pressing and fucked it up.

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Roy Harper-Stormcock

I am well aware that this has been posted on pretty much every blog around. But it's not like I've really been breaking any new ground with this crap heap, so what the hell. I figure I have a few friends out there who'd probably like this and don't have it yet (mean you Matt). Maybe there's another reader who doesn't have it as well. And you should since Harper is a super awesome. And even if you don't recognize the name, I'm sure you've already heard him. Remember that Pink Floyd song "Have a Cigar"? Well, that's Harper singing. Led Zeppelin even has a tribute to him. So the heavy hitters were even him to this guy way back when, and you should be too if you aren't already.

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Kim Fowley-Outrageous

Outrageous indeed. Everyone knows Fowley is a nut. Whether masterminding jail bait pedo rock, producing the Modern Lovers, writing for Kiss, and about a million other things, the guy continues to remain pretty interesting. His own albums are typically pretty out there affairs. This is probably the one I enjoy the most as it is a cracked psych masterpiece. One time I was riding up to Pittsburgh with a Japanese exchange student who doesn't have the strongest grasp of the English language. He was also very high. Once this album came on, I could tell he wasn't going to be able to control himself. He laughed for the length of the album and when we got out of the car he puked. That seems like a logical reaction.

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Brigitte Fontaine-Comme à la Radio

So it's mother's day; started in America right here in West by God Virginia. What a holiday. While I have an amazing mom & grandmother, the day itself doesn't really do it for me like Halloween or even Casimir Pulasky or Pączki day. It's nothing against mothers or anything, it's just that not being one (or even having a vagina for that matter) it just doesn't have that personal connection for me. But nevertheless, I figure today would be a nice day to celebrate fantastic females. And this might one of my all time favorite female fronted albums of all time. Fontaine is just super cool. Even Sonic Youth wanted to be her backing band when she became some old, bald, weirdo. But I prefer this album where she is backed by the Art Ensemble of Chicago. It's jazzy, folky, experimental, and rapturous. If you've dug that Catherine Ribeiro album or any of the other French things I've been posting, then pick this up. Thanks to Ryan for turning me on to this disc.

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Tiny Tim-God Bless

Not a novelty, so stop saying he is. Unfortunate that Tiny Tim is only talked about in terms of being a one hit wonder freak since he had more musical ability than probably any skinny tied ass who's sticking a icicle into his cock hole at the moment. The dude could sing over 1500 songs. And yet I've seen shows where the idiots struggle through 10. For sure, this is a weird one, but an oddly great one too. This man was a true repository of pre-rock knowledge that few could match.

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Little Howlin' Wolf-Singles Vol. 1

Might as well stick with some more Chicago posts since I'm in town and all and the nostalgic juices are flowing. And it brings me to this odd memory. Sometime in my youth (like 5 or 6) I remember seeing this weirdo skronking away on his sax around the Michigan bridge (see above). For some reason this guy always stood out instead of the zillion bums I saw fucking around with an instrument. Funny how years later I see his singles being compiled and reissued. And they're about as weird as Little Howlin' Wolf looks (he's like 6' 10 or so). Kinda like Beefheart, but much more stripped down. A true Chicago visionary.

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Mayo Thompson-Corky's Debt to his Father

A quick post before I return to my dissertation. As leader of the Red Krayola, and later member of Pere Ubu, Mayo Thompson has always been, and continues to be, a pioneer of weirdness. The free form freakouts of R.K. influenced so many, from Spacemen 3, to Galaxie 500, to basically anybody nowadays who explores the edges of the cosmos. Their clanky clatter transmuted into fractured pop songs challenged traditional notions of structure and form. Here, Thompson composes in the traditional pop medium yet produces some truly strange sounds. Like a cousin to Skip Spence's Oar, there's certainly identifiable pop songs, but all are tempered with an edge of madness. A true, one of a kind classic.

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George Coleman-Bongo Joe

If ZZ Top loves this guy, I see no reason why you shouldn't. They're definitely cooler than you. You didn't record Rio Grande Mud. Now, Bongo Joe doesn't have a weird beard, never shot himself with a Derringer he had hidden in his boot, never extolled the virtues of a nice set of gams, but he did write songs about dead dogs and that's always cool. This is mostly odd vocal chants accompanied by oil drum percussion. Dead for almost ten years now, I'd guess his nightly street performances are still missed by the folks of San Antonio. Definitely a weird one.

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Kenneth Higney-Attic Demonstration

I probably shouldn't slag on an entire state, especially since so many of my students are from there, but man I do not like New Jersey. I've been told that there's actually pretty parts (where?). All I've seen is nasty urban wastelands and muscly dudes with terrible haircuts. Fine, shore core was alright, and who doesn't like the Misfits? But this is my pick for Jersey's finest. Higney was a trucker who recorded these demos with the hopes of getting some record deal. But there's no way anyone would touch this mutant. These songs are demented, atonal, yet rocking, glimpses into a mind that has been on the road so long that he's convinced himself that he can actually be a rock star. And since I'm generalizing about states anyhow--Fuck you Texas.

Just been contacted by Nick at One Kind Favor. He's working up a reissue of this great album. Support him here: kickstarter.com/projects/onekindfavor/one-kind-favor-reissuing-70s-private-press-lps.

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Tapeworm-7"

Just look at these dudes and you should know what territory you're heading into. I have to imagine that this group was way out for Connecticut in the 70s. With band member names like Macho Beady, Fuzz Box Flynn. Spider Zito these guys weren't your typical punks. Man, that hair.

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