On The Beach

I generally try to make it a rule to not disparage something just for the sake of disparaging it [notable exception: John McCain’s presidential campaign]. But last week I watched a movie called On the Beach [made in 1959] and on the surface the description of the movie sounds intriguing. The film is set a few months after a nuclear apocalypse between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and follows the story of a nuclear submarine [captained by Gregory Peck] that survived the attack and is now stationed in Australia where the only surviving humans live. They don’t so much live as really wait for the radiation in the air to inevitably flow to them and have them die of radiation poisoning. And by the end, I was hoping for radiation poisoning to come for me too.

Besides Peck, this gem has Anthony Perkins [pre-Psycho days], Ava Gardner [post-The Killers and pre-The Night of the Iguana], and, would you believe it, a race-car driving Fred Astaire [post-"White Christmas"].



The plot isn't much more than sitting around waiting for the radiation to come...oh please, won't it come???

Counting Crows – Einstein on the Beach (For An Eggman)
From the Geffen Records rarities collection, DGC Rarities, Vol. 1.

The Walkabouts – On the Beach (Neil Young Cover)
From an Uncut Magazine sampler of Neil Young covers called Like a Hurricane: A Tribute to Neil Young.

New Matthew Sweet

I am a huge Matthew Sweet fan and some of the most fun I have ever had at a concert was seeing Matthew play at 1st Avenue in Minneapolis. So I was excited to hear that there is a new Matthew Sweet song floating around out there on a collection called Songs from the Bigtop. It is the soundtrack to the film The Bigtop and includes songs by The Clientele, The Owls, and Damien Jurado. I have enjoyed it over the past couple of days...and you don't have to take my word for it as Pitchfork gave it a positive review as well.

Matthew Sweet -- Wild
From the Songs from the Bigtop soundtrack.

Matthew Sweet -- Superdeformed
From the classic No Alternative collection.

Matthew Sweet -- She Said, She Said (The Beatles cover)

Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs -- Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Neil Young cover)
From the Under the Covers, Volume 1 album.

The Father of Rock Is Dead

Rock/Pop/Soul music has a lot of key leadership position that have been filled:

"The King" of Rock: Elvis Presley
Godfather of Soul: James Brown
King of Pop: Michael Jackson

and some lesser known ones:

Grandfather of Grunge: Neil Young

If Elvis is the "King," who is the "Queen?" Doing a quick Google search, I find that Freddie Mercury's band Queen is actually Queen of Rock...not exactly what I was going for here...the other name that I see a few times is Tina Turner, which is not a name I would have thought of at first but the more you know about her career and her early early music the label of "Queen of Rock" makes sense.

Tina Turner is forever connected to her ex-husband Ike Turner. Mr. Turner died today at the age of 76. I'll let MSNBC sum up why, although Tina may be the Queen of Rock, Ike was the Father of Rock:

Turner, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is credited by many rock historians with making the first rock ’n’ roll record, “Rocket 88,” in 1951. Produced by the legendary Sam Phillips, it was groundbreaking for its use of distorted electric guitar.

But as would be the case for most of his career, Turner, a prolific session guitarist and piano player, was not the star on the record — it was recorded with Turner’s band but credited to singer Jackie Brenston.

And it would be another singer — a young woman named Anna Mae Bullock — who would bring Turner his greatest fame, and infamy.

Ike Turner -- Rocket 88
This version comes from the Sun Records collection The Blues Came Down From Memphis.

We're Baaaaaack

The week and a half of hell is over and I'm only staring down the barrel of my Health Law Final next week...CS started a group on Facebook called "I went to law school...and it ruined my life"...I have more appreciation for that feeling everyday...

Babyshambles -- Back from the Dead
From the Down in Albion album.

Warren Zevon -- Back in the High Life Again (Demo)
This track is a demo from the recently released Preludes album.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse -- Get Back On It
This is from the little known or appreciated Re-ac-tor album

Busy

These next couple weeks will be a busy one for me with papers, presentations, and reading so posting will be cut back on my part...until things return to normal enjoy these selections...

Dan Wilson -- Breathless
Dan was the singer from the great Minnesota band Semisonic and he just released his first solo album Free Life.

Neil Young -- From Hank to Hendrix (from MTV Unplugged)
From Neil's MTV Unplugged concert it can originally be found on the Harvest Moon album.

Orba Squara -- Perfect Timing This Morning (iPhone theme)
Here that semi-annoying theme song to those iPhone commercials...with lyrics...

Rollins Band -- Liar
A forgoten 1990's classic...from the Weight album.

Shout Out Louds -- Streams of Whiskey
This is a b-side on the Tonight I Have To Leave It EP...the Swedes do their best Irish impersonation.

The Moldy Peaches -- Lucky Number Nine
The Moldy Peaches debut was my favorite album of 2001...next to The Strokes' debut.

The Turtles -- Me About You
This is my favorite Turtles' song that never became a hit...it can be found on pretty much any Turtles collection or Happy Together.

Vince Guaraldi -- Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal Version)
Christmas break can't get here fast enough...this can be found on a Charlie Brown Christmas.

Presidential Photo of the Day

President Bush:

Neil Young & Crazy Horse -- Danger Bird
From the Zuma album.

The Liars -- Do As the Birds, Eat the Remains
From the Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack EP.