New Release From Major Labels

Talk about a "blast from the past". Many years ago in Syracuse NY I spent numerous hours, significant money, and many brain cells going from one bar to another to hear the best powerpop bands the town had to offer. This guy, "Ducky" Carlisle seemed to show up a lot. Bands like The Flashcubes, Screen Test, and The Most occupied my Saturday nights and turntable and "Ducky" seemed to somehow be involved with all of them as a producer or other.

So I was quite surprised when I stumbled upon the name Ducky Carlise recently. This is not the first time I "stumbled" upon Ducky by the way, as I believe I once threw up on his shoes after a Most show in 1979...I doubt he'll ever read this, so I'm safe. Anyway, I digress...It appears he has teamed up with a couple of his powerpop cohorts to produce a new record...umm, CD (there's the age giveaway). "Aquavia" is the most fun I've had listening to a CD in quite a while. What a blast! I've only had the opportunity to listen to it once, but on first impression it was highly enjoyable. These guys have obviously been listening to a lot of Beatles and ELO records, but they don't sound overly derivative. I'll write more on this disc as I listen to it again...and again. I encourage you to buy it and help Ducky get a new pair of shoes. Later.

The Records and The Beat Meet

Why does that sound x-rated? LOL! Regardless, I thought this a good time to post a clip from the highlight of last summer's concerts. John Wicks of The Records (remember the hits "Starry Eyes" and "Teenama") and Paul Collins of The Beat (remember "Rock N Roll Girl" and "All Over The World") teamed up to do some acoustic shows that were fantastic. Here's a clip from the show they did at McCabes in California last summer. They plan on doing some more this year. I've learned they've started booking shows and will once again be in CA this fall in October. Check 'em out if you can. It was a fantastic show full of back to back to back hits from my college days. Even if you're not over 45 yrs of age you'll love these songs.

A Few Excellent Recent Releases

Some of these are just released, others within the past 6 months, but all are recommended. Here's the list. Go out and get 'em:


The Madd - Are Pretty Quick (Beatlesqe, but not overly derivative)
The Meadows - 1st Nervous Breakdown (The second best band in LA)
Farrah - Farrah (Their fourth effort, single is very XTC-ish)
Green Pajamas - Book Of Hours Reissue(best Psych-pop disc of the 80's)
Hoodoo Gurus - Purity of Essence (30 years and Faulkner still kicks ass)
Graham Parker - Imaginary Television (NY's Poet Laureate, or should be)
Seth Swirsky - Watercolor Days (may be the best disc of 2010)
American Professionals - The Specialist (MUCH more energy than "Faking It")
Well Wishers - Post Modern Romantic (Lots of guitars! I love this record)
Greg Pope - Popmonster (some really good singles here)


All these discs are available though Kool Kat Musik, btw.

Exile On Main Street Reissued!

Many Stones reissues have hit the market over the years, often shrewdly timed to a new tour or technology. But none has matched the anticipation and nostalgia stoked by this Tuesday’s deluxe re-release treatment of “Exile,’’ which will include 10 previously unreleased tracks as well as reworked “Exile’’-era songs. For several generations of fans and critics (most of whom have radically revised their initial assessments of the album), the Stones’ 1972 opus remains the band’s definitive, enduring statement.

The New Improved Farah

I've liked this band for a long time since 2001's "Mustache". The second full length, "Me Too" was fairly good as well as their EP which followed shortly after. They've gotten progressively better and the new release simply entitled "Farrah" is their best effort yet. Standout tracks include "Stereotype", "If You Were Mine", "Heavy Metal", and the single (if there is such a thing anymore) "Swings and Roundabouts". Imagine a heavy dose of ELO with a small dash of XTC and you get an idea how infectious "Swings and Roundabouts" is. I've heard it only twice yet I've heard the song's been sticking in my head all morning..and that's a very good thing! Highly recommended!

Roger and Malcolm

This just in:
Prompted by the recent death of Sex Pistols manager and punk honcho Malcolm McLaren, film critic/writer Roger Ebert recently posted an unfinished film script
he wrote for the pioneering English punk band in the summer of 1977. Read Who Killed Bambi? Intended to be the punk version of "A Hard Day's Night", his screenplay
never made it to fruition and the film never made. Bits and peices of fopotage wound up in "The Great Rock n Roll Swindle" though.

Jim Caroll, poet and creator of "Catholic Boy" Dies

Jim Carroll, the poet and punk rocker in the outlaw tradition of Rimbaud and Burroughs who chronicled his wild youth in “The Basketball Diaries,” died on Friday at his home in Manhattan. He was 60.

I've read two of Jim Carroll's books, "The Basketball Diaries" and "Living At The Movies". I highly recommend them both. "The Basketball Diaries" was exactly that, a diary of his high school years. "Living At The Movies" is a great collection of his early poetry.

One of the most memorable rock shows I ever saw was back in 1982 I believe, when I saw Jim Carroll open for The Boomtown Rats. The Rats were great, but Carroll was extraordinary. He had an incredible stage presence and from the moment he took the stage you knew you were experiencing something really special.

Bye Jim. We'll miss you.