These recordings mark the beginning of a new era for 'The King', and music all together. Rock n Roll was born, or at least, more accessible than ever; but this wasn’t your typical Rock n’ Roll. If you listen, it has a sort of country swagger to it--a real down home feeling giving these songs a new-yet-familiar vibe, like giving an old pair of boots a good polish. The term ‘Rockabilly’ was the perfect name for this.
In an interview that can be viewed at the Experience Music Project, Barbara Pittman states that, "It was so new and it was so easy. It was a three-chord change. Rockabilly was actually an insult to the southern rockers at that time. Over the years it has picked up a little dignity. It was their way of calling us hillbillies."
Although the term was in common use even before the Burnettes wrote "Rock Billy Boogie", one of the first written uses of the term "rockabilly" was in a June 23, 1956 Billboard review of Ruckus Tyler's "Rock Town Rock".
The first record to contain the word "rockabilly" in a song title was issued in November of 1956, "Rock a Billy Gal". Notable tracks, aside from the staples (“Heartbreak Hotel”, “Don’t Be Cruel”, Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes”), are Little Richards’ “Tutti Frutti”, “Ready Teddy” (which was also done by Buddy Holly 2 years later), and a great version of Ray Charles’ “I Got a Woman.”
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
To sum this album up in two words: “He’s Back.” Yes, I’m well aware that “He’s” a contraction of two words, but this isn’t a grammar lesson. If you’ve been waiting for a Nine Inch Nails record better than the last two releases on Interscope, look no further. “Ghosts I-IV” was great, but more of a Trent Reznor record, not necessarily a NIN record. “Year Zero” and “Year Zero Remixed” were decent, at best, but “The Slip” is a perfect follow up to “With Teeth” (which I thought was a great album reintroducing NIN/Trent Reznor).
“The Slip” opens up in typical NIN fashion: “999,999” which is a whirring, swelling, indescript, and machine-like noise, blending and morphing into the apex of mumbling and what sounds something like “…and I’m slipping.” Transitioning right into “1,000,000” which makes you want to jump around because it sounds like Nine Inch Nails should. Some may argue that it’s not what it used to be, but my question to them is “if it all sounded the same as Pretty Hate Machine or The Downward Spiral, what good would it be?” Trent Reznor/NIN has always pushed the boundaries and tried new sounds, techniques, and approaches to releasing his music. That’s why they are where they are now: releasing music on their own, with no record label. Just look at the guerilla marketing used for the Year Zero release. As soon as NIN’s contract with major-label Interscope Records was up, there was already a release available. A free download from the NIN website, along the same lines as Radiohead’s In Rainbows. There were physical album pre-sales, complete with different packages: double-cd, vinyl/cd-combo, etc. All of the physical pre-sales came with an instant digital download. The Slip was release the same way.
The transitions in this album are flawless, from one song to the next. The sequencing of the tracks are perfectly ordered and gives an ‘old school’ record feel—i.e. listening to the album from front-to-back, instead of the neo-technological fad of ‘shuffle’ and listening to the album in piece-meal. The Slip is a breath of fresh air for music fans, as well as NIN fans—it sounds great everywhere: in the car, at home, in the nude, in a HASMAT suit, or in the shower. I highly recommend multiple listens with a decent pair of headphones in the dark. You can hear all the texturing, and you’ll find new things with each subsequent listen. Tracks to remember: “Echoplex” with the eerie ‘la la la la la la’s’ in the foreground starting at the 2nd verse. “Corona Radiata” and it’s droning low-end frequencies, with spiraling effects of what sounds like wind blowing in a field, but the subtle changes about 4:08 in, give way to some light at the end of this dark, sonic tunnel.
Dead Boys - Young Loud and Snotty
The perfect punk album--it has it all--from top to bottom. Raunchy guitars, steady backbeat, smart (ass) lyrics, and the devil may care attitude of a generation long since overshadowed by a barrage of over-merchandising. 1977 was a huge year for punk rock: The Ramones "Leave Home" and "Rocket To Russia", The Damned's "Damned Damned Damned", Sex Pistols' "Nevermind the Bollocks", The Jam's "In the City", not to mention the Godfather of Punk, Iggy Pop released 2 albums that year, as well: "Lust For Life" and "The Idiot". For the Cleveland, Ohio quintet, they played hard on stage and off.
I hadn't heard the band until I read the book Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain. After reading stories of the band, listening to the record, and seeing photos, they truly are the epitome of Punk. They were one of the first bands to escalate the level of violence, nihilism, and pure ugliness of Punk rock to extreme new levels. Despite receiving a fair amount of coverage in the US Rock music press, Punk was still misunderstood by most Rock fans in the U.S., which resulted in the album not performing up to expectations sales-wise (despite having spawning one of Punk's great anthems, "Sonic Reducer").
I can't really discredit any of the tracks on this album, they're all great. Ones that are most memorable for me, though, would be (obviously) "Sonic Reducer,"--which amongst many, was covered by Pearl Jam, who did a great job, but still pales in comparison to the original--"Not Anymore", "Caught With the Meat In Your Mouth", which has a bit of early-Aerosmith feel to it, and probably my number one track on this album: "High Tension Wire". I highly suggest either picking this album up or revisiting it, as it's a gem and an album I'll revisit every so often.
Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head
I know what you're thinking: "What the hell?!" Well, it's true, actress Scarlett Johansson released a record this past summer, all of which are Tom Waits songs. I'm not the most avid of Tom Waits fans, but do enjoy him from time to time. As most who know me would agree, I'm not a "judge a book by its cover" type of person, but if the album art was any indication of what the record was going to sound like, I'd have needed a cold shower for each track. Without looking at the cover, I can close my eyes and see the image of it burned into my memory; Scarlett looking much like a 1950's Pinup/housewife model. Lustful red lips with platinum blonde hair, laying seductively--feigning that "i don't mean to be so sexy" look--in a bed of grass. This should paint an image for you, and after listening to the record, it's not far off.
She chose some less popular Tom Waits songs, and one would have to wonder what it would sound like. Scarlett's speaking voice has a naturally low and raspy timbre, maybe it'd be a good fit; maybe not. After drooling over the photos, I popped in the record and I'll admit, it takes a couple of listens to really sink in. There are really some sleeper-albums out there, especially from female vocalists where I'm not sure I'll like it or not. I try to give them a try. My preconceived notion of what this record was--even before knowing much about it, especially the fact that all tracks were Tom Waits songs--"oh great, another actress making a record and ruining the industry further. What girly, bubblegummy tracks are we going to have to put up with all for the MTV-reality show generation?" To my surprise: the answer was alarmingly none. There is not one crappy, 'sugar and spice and everything nice' track on this record.
The production has a darkness about it, and eerily layered feel but with a hint of uplifting momentum. This has slowly become one of my favourite records to listen to--especially through headphones. The track that hooked me, which apparently was the "radio single" was "Falling Down". The music has a sort of broken merry-go-round feel to it, with a touch of marching band on crack tone. I feel like if I were on cough syrup, this song would last for hours, which would be perfectly fine with me. The surprise within the song is the addition of layers as the momentum picks up. After the first verse, a banjo comes in, and the air lightens a bit. After the second verse, a music box-like interlude into the bridge, a subtle key change, then back up to the main key and enter David Bowie for harmonizing vocals. I nearly lost my shit when I heard it, and checked the liners to see that Bowie did this as well as a couple of other tracks, too.
The culmination of this song, along with the instrumental opening track, "Fawn", "Fannin Street", "Green Grass", and "No One Knows I'm Gone" make for a strong album. A forest sound is thematically heard throughout the entire album, which adds a comfort to the already eerie tonality. I highly recommend giving this record at least 4 listens, preferably in the dark on headphones; maybe with a candle or 2 lit for effect.
Betty Davis - Betty Davis
Probably one of the BEST purchases I've made in the last 6 months, musically. This album has it all: funkiness, sexiness, coolness, and fun. Married to Jazz great, Miles Davis for a year, Betty was very into Funk, Soul, R&B, and had style, to boot. Supposedly she had introduced Miles to Sly & The Family Stone's music, which may or may not have had an impact on the sound of his release "Bitches Brew."
After first listen of this record, I immediately wanted it on vinyl, which I'm still trying to track down, but not very actively. From the beginning track "If I'm In Luck I Might Get Picked Up" there's a cool, funky vibe, and I guarantee each track on this album has been sampled at least once in the past 25 years. The soulfulness isn't that of veterans like Otis Redding but it is more along the Booker T & The MG's-ilk. Her voice can be sweet, but also have that throaty James Brown "yeah!" feel, which is as fun as it is cool.
If you want to talk perfect party record, this is it. Tracks like "Walkin Up The Road", "Anti Love Song", the more soulful "In The Meantime" which closes up the record, and my personal favourite, preceding it, "Game Is My Middle Name". You can't help but bob your head, tap your foot, and just feel, in the words of Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction, like a "Bad M.F."
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