Booker T. & The MG's - Hip-Hug Her

ORIGINATION 7"
LAST LISTENED TO a few days ago
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT fair, rising
RATING

The classic line up of one of the most important soul groups ever. As house band for Stax records, they backed up almost everyone on the label, including most notably Otis Redding. As writers, organist Booker T Jones and guitarist Steve Cropper wrote or co-wrote some of the biggest soul hits of the '60s.

On their own records, they were something special too. Admittedly, there were times when they drifted into hammond-a-go-go cover territory, but even here they were cream of the crop. Indeed, a case could even be made for them haven started the whole thing off but that would be a little unfair on them.

Hip-Hug Her was recorded in 1967, at a time that many consider to be them at the height of their powers. It has a huge, bass-driven groove that is liberally sprinkled that starts with some very big hammond chords from Jones, before he takes fills the first half of the tune with a funky solo. In behind, Cropper cranks out the same chords, with a guitar sound that is rougher than his usual. For a short period in the middle, the roles are reversed with Cropper soloing, before the guys head back into the melody. Naturally, just before the end Jones and Cropper take time to squeeze in another short solo each, before it sadly fades.

This is without doubt the biggest, fattest groove that Booker T. & The MG's (bad punctuation and all) ever recorded. So a final mention must be made to the guys who really built it; Al Jackson, Jr. on drums (reputed to be more accurate than a drum machine!) and Donald 'Duck' Dunn on bass (soon to be owner of a ludicrous 'tache).

Helloween - Save Us

ORIGINATION I Want Out 12"
LAST LISTENED TO last night
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT as high as the singer's voice
RATING

Look, i was into metal as a kid and my liking for it has never really died. Sure, along the way there have been times when i have totally forgotten it, but eventually i'll have an urge for crashing chords, widdling guitar solos and squealing vocals. I can't help it. Clearly it's some sort of addiction. That's me excuse, anyway.

Helloween, for those of you who don't know (and i'm guessing that's almost all of you, with one exception who shall remain nameless but who is more known to like jazz daily these days) were pretty much a German version of Iron Maiden. This probably sounds like a bad idea and if i had any sense at all i'd agree. However, for reasons inexplicable, i rather enjoy Helloween. And it's not just because they had cartoon pumpkins as a kind of mascot (really, they did). I have plenty time for Maiden, so almost by default i have a bit of time for their Deutscher counterparts. Anyway, there was always a silly side to Helloween, not that Maiden were exactly super-serious or anything, but whatever they were Helloween were sillier. Do i need mention the pumpkins again? In fact, i do seem to recall that the slogan Pumpkins Fly Free was theirs.

And the music? Well, it sounds like Maiden. Maybe a bit faster and with less literature-based songs. Also the vocals were, if anything, higher pitched more often than Bruce's (that's Maiden's singer). This song in particular has some fine wailing. The only real problem i have with it is that it might just have some sort of christian undercurrent, which frankly has no place in metal. Or, indeed, metaaaaaaaal!

Pierre Dutour et son orchestre - Following You

ORIGINATION Music For Dancefloors: The Cream Of the Chappell Music Library Sessions
LAST LISTENED TO april
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT better than yesterdays but not by much
RATING

Library music again! And this time one that really shows why i and so many others love library music: it's just so damned groovy. But then it's a funky hammond work-out with some killer brass lines and i am such a sucker for those. They don't get much better than this. I think today is going to be a hammond day. Again. Fantastic!

G Sorgini - Honda

ORIGINATION Vroommm: Funk Cinematique - High Performace 70s Turbo Sounds For Sprint-Exotic Movie Scenes (v/a)
LAST LISTENED TO april
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT teensyish weensyish
RATING

It's only three stars. It's pretty obscure Italian library music from the '70s. There is no way you're ever going to hear it unless you have the LP or come round and steal mine. And now i'm watching out for it, so you'll never get your crafty hands on it. I'm onto you. Just you watch.

So, what does it matter what it's like?

For appearance's sake: it is built around a funky soul bass, with boxy, mid-range drums with psyche-like guitar splashed all over the top. It's pretty catchy, i suppose. But, you know, you'll probably never hear it, so what do you care. Go now.

The Addams Family Theme

ORIGINATION duh
LAST LISTENED TO not really ever
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT i'm beginning to notice that mostly unexpected tunes are showing up these days, which does kinda make a mokery of my 'not a chance' type rating
RATING

WTF? Where the hell did this come from? Can i please have it removed now? Jeez.

Peelander-Z - S.T.E.A.K.

ORIGINATION the interwub
LAST LISTENED TO yesterday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT highish
RATING

Crazy Japanese punk. With portions of wonky English. I would like to cook for you steak. Medium rare! Fantastically nuts. Go, watch the video. See?

Bernard Herrmann - Main Title From Cape Fear

ORIGINATION Cape Fear
LAST LISTENED TO years ago
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT are low
RATING

Chances are you'll know something of Bernard Herrmann's work, although you may not know it was is. He was one of the most respected composers to work in film during the 20th century and as such scored nearly a hundred films during his lifetime. His best known work is probably the scores he did for Hitchcock, including such films as North By Northwest, Vertigo and Psycho. Other well known work of his includes Citizen Kane (his film score debut), The Day The Earth Stood Still (wherein he pioneered the use of the theremin in film) and Cape Fear (where his score was used in both versions). The last piece score was for Taxi Driver and he was to die mere hours after recording it.

The Main Title From Cape Fear is up there with his strongest themes. It opens on a descending brass piece, which is followed by a very sinister string part that makes for a frank warning of descent into fear and madness that is to follow in the film. The brass part is particularly effective and, indeed, it is one of the main leitmotifs throughout the film. It drops in out of both this piece and the film, often following on from a quiet tense string section. In the Main Title he uses this device several times, whilst each time increasing the tension in the strings to an almost unbearable level. It ends without reaching resolution as, of course the film is about to begin, where the audience will begin their descent into fear.

In recent years this music has been somewhat co-opted by The Simpsons. They used it in their Cape Fear episode, which was a parody of the film that featured Sideshow Bob (voiced by Kelsey Grammer, best known as Frasier) and contained the famous rake scene. Ever since it has become something of a theme for Sideshow Bob and has no doubt subsequently reached a bigger audience than probably both films put together.

You can find more info about Bernard Herrmann on imdb.

Lemuria - Hunk Of Heaven (again)

ORIGINATION Strange Games & Things
LAST LISTENED TO last night
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT rather high
RATING

Ah, what a lovely song. Especially on such a grey and yucky day as it it here this morning. You can find my original post here.

The Groundhogs - Split (Part Two)

ORIGINATION Split
LAST LISTENED TO yesterday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT reasonable
RATING

The Groundhogs were formed in the mid-'60s, playing mostly as a power-trio led by guitarist and vocalist Tony McPhee. They began playing the blues, but moved into psychedelia and later towards prog. This type of music was quite popular around the band's creative high point at the start of the '70s. They managed to score three hit albums in the UK, but that was as far as it went, as commercially and critically they were judged to be not quite as good as the competition.

Split was one of their most successful albums and on it The Groundhogs were living in the land between blue rock and psychedelia. Evidenced especially in the first side, which contained four tracks named Split - Part One, Two, Three and Four. Of these four tracks, Split - Part Two is the strongest (although not nearly as strong as Cherry Red on the B-side). All three players are in top form here, playing good material that makes great use of their trio grouping. McPhee's guitar is clearly the star of the piece, however there is a beefy presence from both the bass and drums, which are doing more than just supporting the front man.

Lyrically the Split side of the album deals with schizophrenia, which is a topic that can easily fall into cliché. However, the style of playing (and writing) here means that, frankly, it's not all too clear what they're on about. This may or may not be the point. The only obvious reference, other than the disjointed music, is the final vocal on this track – a cry of 'I must get help before I go insane'. The kind of thing i can really do without first thing in the morning.

Don't ring my bell, please

The intercom in my flat hasn't got a buzzer. Oh no. It's got a bloody bell on it and it is a frightening bell. To be awoken by which it somewhat akin to being slapped hard in the face. And all for a letter containing the cover details for my new monitor, which is handily now covered for frozen food loss. Brilliant. No song is going to make it through such rubbish.

The Wonder Stuff - Inertia

ORIGINATION Never Loved Elvis
LAST LISTENED TO March
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT lowish
RATING

It's The Wonder Stuff doing their Wonder Stuff thing: shiny indie pop with added violin and grooviness. Nice organ.

Argh. That's it for today. Too much after effects to do this.