If the Kenny The Cadets' sound seems familar, it certainly should be: 3 of the Beach Boys Brian, Carl and Al (plus Mama Wilson), participated in this production. Producer Bruce Morgan at Candix records had a few instrumental tracks recorded and needed some ovocals and asked the Beach Boys, who were conveniently visiting the studio, to help out. A single was produced with no commercial success - but nowadays it's among the rarest records to be found.
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Rarely Heard: Kenny & The Cadets - Barbie
If the Kenny The Cadets' sound seems familar, it certainly should be: 3 of the Beach Boys Brian, Carl and Al (plus Mama Wilson), participated in this production. Producer Bruce Morgan at Candix records had a few instrumental tracks recorded and needed some ovocals and asked the Beach Boys, who were conveniently visiting the studio, to help out. A single was produced with no commercial success - but nowadays it's among the rarest records to be found.
First Lines: Elio Vittorini - Conversations In Sicily
That winter I was in the grip of abstract furies.
Rarely Heard: Jandek - Kick
Jandek is an outsider musician who has self-produced more than 50 albums since 1978 which you could (and still can) purchase by mail order from his 'company' Corwood Industries for a very reasonable price. Until recently he has been quite secretive about his work and himself: "...he releases his own albums, he only sells them by mail order, he doesn't talk to the press, he doesn't sit for photographs, and the rare few who've communicated with him can't even get him to admit he is Jandek (he prefers to identity himself as "a representative of Corwood Industries," the name of his self-run record label)." Meanwhile he does give public performances and a few months ago revealed a bit more about his personality and his musical philosophy in a two-part interview in The Wire. His approach is - although obviously deeply rooted in country blues and folk traditions - radically D.I.Y.: he abhors any professionalism even to the extent that he demands his supporting musicians to be non-professional - and unprepared - for concerts. Quote from The Wire interview: "I don't want knowledge. I want passion. How can you know passion? You can experience it. But success hurts."
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Johnny English Reborn (2011)
Johnny English goes up against international assassins hunting down the Chinese premier.
Lackadaisical James Bond parody which survives by its star's mere presence, but hardly can live up to the humur of his previous comedies.
Maltin**: "Atkinson's Johnny English is clearly the umpteenth James Bond spoof, but fans of the star and his slapstick antics should be glad he's back in this delayed follow-up to 2003's original. Unfortunately, the film is by-the-numbers; many of the gags are predictable and tired, and Atkinson's shtick is getting a little long in the tooth for anyone but his most dedicated followers."
Friday, September 5, 2014
First Lines: Elena Ferrante - The Days of Abandonment
One April afternoon, right after lunch, my husband announced that he wanted to leave me.
Rarely Heard: The Handsome Family - My Sister's Tiny Hands
The Handsome Family are a husband and wife duo who create music that may be described as Gothic country. Their songs are mostly of the story-telling kind which center around dark (or rather pitch black) topics earning them a small cult following and occasional radio bans.
New Stuff: Retronaut
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I've been following Retronaut for quite a while, and I certainly wanted to get the book which was recently released.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Rarely Heard: The Gun Club - Breaking Hands
I've bee a great fan of the Gun Club and would certainly have loved to see them perform live, but never managed to do so. "Tribal psychobilly blues is the best way to describe the Gun Club's energetic death rock, but the band's career seemed doomed from the get-go due to leader Jeffrey Lee Pierce's reputation as an unreliable wildman, and well-publicized bouts of drunkenness dogged him throughout his career" (Allmusic.com) I especially love his solo album Wildweed (which I'll be presenting on another occasion). Unfortunately, he died in 1996 at the age of 37. Now I hear there are 2 tribute albums with a lot of my favourite bands performing previously unreleased songs composed by Jeffrey Lee Pierce.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
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