Tapeheads

This movie piqued my curiosity since I was around twelve years old. You see way back in the 80s there were these things called video stores and VHS tapes. In my hometown we had five of these mom & pop stores before Blockbuster came along and ruined everything. Everyone of these of these stores had a copy and it was always checked out. My brother and I would just look at the cover and laugh at it and read the description and think it sounded cool and want to rent it, but we never did. They never showed it on cable TV or even late night regular TV. So I gave up on it.

Fast forward (see what I did there)to 1997 my first year at Sam Houston State University. I was a stranger in a strange land, Huntsville, TX to be exact. I didn't know anybody and this town was as small and boring as the one I'd lived in all my life. I was here to earn my college degree in video production. So where would be the first logical place to go? The unemployment line. But seriously folks I found my way to the first mom and pop video shop (yes they still exist). I perused the aisles not really finding anything that jumped out at me. Then there it was, that weird familiar box: Tapeheads! It was in stock and I could actually rent it! Would it be worth the ten year wait? Yes my friends it would be.

This movie is just cool on so many levels. It is a cult movie and music lovers dream; it was made for us. It has so many cool musicians and bands making cameos and some have supporting roles. Can you tell me any other film that features Sam from the soul group Sam & Dave, Junior Walker, Ted Nugent, Weird Al, Doug E Fresh, Lords of the New Church, Jello Biafra,King Cotton and an uncredited Courtney Love? Didn't think so. It also features awesome (newcomers at the time) John Cusack and Tim Robbins. John and Tim have a wonderful chemistry as two best friends who continue to work at dead end jobs until they get an idea to make music videos. They start out making videos for Mo Fuzz (Don Corneilus of Soul Train fame) and also have to make a few crummy commercials. One of the commercials is for Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles ( a real place in California). It smells of the 80s. Wonderfully bad rap and tacky visuals.

Their big break however comes by accident. It must be seen to be truly enjoyed. They are soon enjoying fame but what they really want to do is get a reunion of their fave soul group Swanky Modes together. During all of this they get wrapped up in a black mail scandal.

I could quote from this movie all day it is that awesome. I can't give it a proper review as there is a lot going on the film and I don't want to ramble. This movie is a lot like Repo Man, another movie you need to check out if you haven't already. It's weird, it's funny, and it has a great soundtrack. What more could you want?

Enjoy it or don't.

Darren Menendez

Belle & Sebastian-If You're Feeling Sinister

Part 3 of the Sophomore Success series:


Belle and Sebastian are a band that survive almost exclusively on cult status. They've garnered a few more listeners after their songs were featured in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Juno, but like Stuart Murdoch (leader of the group) said "It's not like we're a big famous band. I really can't imagine anyone saying "ooh, I can't wait for the new Belle & Sebastian record."
I guess I'm one of the few that would like to hear a new B&S record but the closest thing we'll get to that now is God Help The Girl. This is a project of Stuart's in which all of B&S plays except him. He wrote this musical and hired three different females to sing all the songs he wrote. I've heard snippets. It's a pretty cool soul thing. There were hints of a soul direction on the last B&S record The Life Pursuit. But it also marked a big turn/departure in their sound and a lot of fans jumped off the band wagon. Life Pursuit had a lot of songs with a Northern Soul or T. Rex rock sound. Several critics and fans cried fowl "Why can't they make stuff like If You're Feeling Sinister anymore." To which I reply "Why don't you just go listen to your CD then if you want to hear stuff like that?"
I like it when bands change up their sound a bit and are still good. The Beach Boys, Rush, TMBG, Belle and Sebastian, Bowie, and Zappa. They all did it and still put out good stuff. If You're Feeling Sinister is one of those records that's mentioned on so many critics lists as an album you have to hear. So, here I am another critic telling you yes you must hear it.
Let's start this review off with a warning that may sound like I don't want you to get this CD, but oh my friends, I do. First off I have a few friends that don't like B&S because Stuart has a "weird voice". That's fine, Bob Dylan has a "weird voice" and what we must remember is that like Dylan, Stuart is an excellent songwriter and these songs have heart. Secondly, the CD is poorly recorded, even though it's some of the best songs he wrote at times it sounds like a demo rather than a master. Finally, if folky "twee-pop" isn't your thing you probably won't dig it. That being said if you're in, I'm in.
The CD opens with the brilliant track "The Stars of Track and Field" and closes with the sad yet hopeful "Judy and the Dream of Horses". The reason I love this album is that every track reminds you of some experience in your life whether it's something you've actually dealt with or someone you've known experienced. It's a perfect lazy Sunday sit in your bedroom type record. Some critics compared it to Nick Drake's work. I love Nick but the only comparison I could draw was that both artists music is timeless because of the wonderful stories told through the characters in the songs. Stuart's writing is a bit like Morrisey in the sense that it's poetic and there is some clever humor mixed in with the sadness. The lyrics wonderfully off-set the music. The music has some sad tones but over all has a little jaunt in it and when set against melancholy lyrics it just works. Kind of like chocolate and peanut butter, you get the salty and the sweet and all is right with the world.

Enjoy it or don't.

Darren Menendez

RUSH-FLY BY NIGHT

Part 2 of the Sophomore Success series:

I know the masses (OK my three other friends that love this band as much as me) have been waiting for a blog about Rush. For years we had to hide our fan/nerd love for this Canadian prog-rock trio's massive output of amazing work. Sure the masses love Tom Sawyer but that's about all anyone know by them. Then not to long ago something amazing happened. Six different movies all coming out with in about two years of each other had music by Rush in the soundtrack, references to Rush, and several even had Rush cameos. Rush's music was even featured in the video game Rock Band. For a band that was virtually "unknown" and very private this was quite bizarre. But I digress, we are here to discuss Fly By Night, Rush's second LP.

For my fellow Rush-heads (is that what we're called?)it is painfully obvious why Fly By Night is better than their s/t debut. For those not in the know it was the first Rush LP to feature Neil Peart. On the first LP the drummer was John Rutsey and although he was a fine drummer he was no Neil Peart. Neil is considered a "god" among drummers in the rock industry. Not only did he become the backbone of the band but he became the lyricist as well. Granted his lyrics at this time weren't the greatest, but there are some memorable cuts on the release. The lyrics for most of the songs though did give us a hint at the greatness that would continue on their future releases.
Several of the songs took their cues from literary works, labeling them as a "brainy" band. The first track Anthem is based on the short story by Ayn Rand of the same name. The other literary track is Rivendell, based on Bilbo Baggins journey in the Tolkien novels. Other songs were just about having fun and there was one epic track that showed they were about to enter into prog-rock teritory. Which is a label they haven't been able to shake. This is a bit mistelling and recalls a scene from the movie Fanboys. The one Rush obsessed fan tells his friends they can only listen to Rush when they are in his van. His other friend says come on man, how about some variety? To which he replies "RUSH IS VARIETY!"
Oh how true this statement is. They've gone from hard rock to prog rock to ska influenced to synth rock to dark metal and at one point they even had a rap breakdown in one of their songs. They like Bowie and Zappa are true artists and musical chameleons. The chameleons are at their hard rock best on Fly By Night.
Those that listen to the CD for the first time might think "ho hum it sounds a bit like watered down Led Zep". I'm the first to admit that there is a chord progression in their song Beneath, Between, Behind that sounds exactly like a Led Zep song. Zep was also the first to have a song reference Tolkien's writings, so the Led Zep comparison is not far off. This in itself is odd because it's usually Led Zep that is ripping off other peoples work (ooooh, burn!!!) At any rate it's a fun rocking album that although may not be the best Rush LP (that distinction is a tie between 2112 and Moving Pictures)it is a good starting point for anyone wanting to jump on the Rush bandwagon.

Enjoy or don't.

Darren Menendez

They Might Be Giants-Lincoln

As I mentioned in my intro blog I was going to have a series based on music releases (lps, cds,etc) called Sophomore Success. Basically what this entails is me reviewing (read gushing) over a band's second release, instead of their debut album. There's a term in entertainment industry known as the "sophomore slump". This is basically when critics and the general public feel that a performer's first outing was awesome and the second effort doesn't live up the grandness of the original. I myself have found that the opposite is true. Some debut music releases or movies are good but feel a bit uneven. It's only on the band's second release that they've found their footing. With that being said I'm going to discuss They Might Be Giants second CD Lincoln.

If you don't know who TMBG are then you need to get from under a rock and go by Lincoln right now. Released as a follow up to their self titled 1986 release, Lincoln is an amazing album that although was released in 1988 still holds up because it was ahead of it's time.

Where to begin? Let's try MTV for starters. Yes, believe it or not a long time ago Music Television used to actually play things called music videos. It must have been jarring to the target audience that was used to consuming Guns N Roses, Beastie Boys and other rock/pop/ and metal videos to see They Might Be Giants for the first time. Here were two guys who looked more like teachers than rock stars playing music that although poppy was different than what was normally shown during this era. Yet, for some reason the video for the first song of the CD "Ana NG" was in heavy rotation. It caused a nerdy 13 year old to rush right out and purchase a cassette.

What's a cassette grandpa? Oh yeah, I owned this bad boy on cassette not a CD and not a vinyl record. I played it till the chrome fell off. But I digress lets get to the music. As I mentioned earlier TMBG had a s/t release in 1986 and it had some good tunes but it was only a hint at what was to come. Lincoln is one of those rare records where every track is amazing. There are those that don't like a few of the tracks but given the average length of the songs is less than two minutes I'm not sure what they're complaining about.

Track 1 Ana Ng- A super catchy song about a guy who thinks that his soul mate must be on the opposite side of the world from where he is. So since he's in Australia, his soul mate would be in Peru. Confusing? Yes! Ultra cool? Yes! Bonus coolness for having a break in the song where a lady speaks through a phone and says "I don't want the world. I just want your half."

Track 2- Cowtown- How often did you hear a sea shanty on a pop record? Not too often. You also have to remember this was years before Ween released The Mollusk and Spongebob Squarepants was popular. Heavy accordion lead with play on word lyrics about manatees/sea life and non-sea creatures.

Track 3- Lie Still Little Bottle - A jazzy little beatnik tune with an awesome bassline talking about different forms of addiction.

Track 4-Purple Toupee- Another "hit" song/video of this album. The video was shown on MTV but not as much as Ana Ng. I feel this is the stand out track on the CD. Some say the lyrics make no sense. They are just aren't using their noodles. The song is about a man that jumbles up all the events of the 60s in a very funny way. If you know your history, this song is a gem.

Track 5-Cage & Aquarium- An odd little tune that recalls almost Residents style music. The lyrics are weird play on words of the term "dawning of the age of Aquarius"

Track 6-Where Your Eyes Don't Go- A song about paranoia with a great melody. Stand out lyric "everybody has a thinking part that wonder's what the part that isn't thinking, isn't thinking of. "

Track 7-Piece of Dirt- A tune about hanging on to something when you're lonely

Track 8-Mr Me.- Another sea shanty tune with the wonderful tongue twister "take the hand of Mr me and mister make him glad to swim the misty sea and cease the Mr mystery that mister made him sad"

Track 9-Pencil Rain- A battle song of sorts with heavy play on words. Also the only song I can think of to feature a Morse code solo.

Track 10- The Worlds Address- A fun dance tune with more word play.

Track 11-I've Got a Match- A break up tune. Every album needs at least one.

Track 12-Santa's Beard- A depressing yet catchy tune about infidelity during the holidays

Track 13-You'll Miss Me- Odd vocal effects and wailing saxes make you scratch your head

Track 14- They'll Need a Crane- Another awesome song that had a video as well. Catchiest song about divorce since Tammy Wynette's Divorce.

Track 15 -Shoehorn With Teeth- Weird and catchy and only 30 seconds.

Track 16-Stand On Your Own Head- A great song about putting your money where your mouth is

Track 17-Snowball in Hell- Happy accordion track. One of the few pop songs I know of to feature a sample from a How To Make Better Sales LP from the 60s.

Track 18-Kiss Me Son Of God- A delightful send up of cults/cult leaders. Those were big in the 80s

So there you have it. Lincoln by They Might Be Giants. You really have to hear the thing for yourself. Because my review is not giving it the justice it deserves. All of TMBG's albums are really unique and offer the listener an opportunity to think, because it's not standard pop. Believe it or not TMBG are still going strong releasing both records for adults and children's records. Their newer stuff for adults is good, but more rock oriented. Pick up some of their kids CDs and it's almost like listening to the goodness of Lincoln.

Enjoy it or not.

Darren Menendez