Graham
Parker
Loose Monkeys
(Up Yours Records)
Graham Parker was a charter member of the mid-'70s Surly Young Brits
club, but records such as 1991's mostly domestic blissful Struck By
Lightining betrayed a mellowing. Still, one look at the label name
Parker came up with for this release (available only through his
Web site or Razor & Tie mail order), shows that the venom supply
hasn't run completely dry. As the title suggests, Loose Monkeys is
an attempt to round up some of 'em that got away, and like most odds
& sods collections, nothing here is indispensable. However, it's far
from indefensible, thanks to cuts like the album-opening cover of
he Taylor/Holland/Dozier/Holland nugget "There's A Ghost In My House"
and the two versions - one quaking and one aching - of "I Just Can't
Capture Her Imagination." - Rick Cornell
Captain
Beefheart & The Magic Band
The Dust Blows
Forward: An Anthology (Warner Archives/ Rhino)
Beefheart
skewers beat poetry with absurdity, and presents his bizarre lyrics
across a plethora of musical styles: the Magic Band's equally at home
playing dissonant avant-garde, tropical ditties, catchy R&B, and guitar
driven rock, always with a heavy base of the blues. Included are rare
singles, tunes from Trout Mask Replica, Safe As Milk, Lick My Decals
Off, Baby and other albums, as well as cuts from Bongo Fury, with
high school buddy Frank Zappa. A booklet includes song info and a
Beefheart history. This two CD set is a great introduction to, and
fine career summary of, one of rock's most iconoclastic artists. -
Gene Hyde
Pearls
Before Swine
Constructive
Melancholy: 30 Years of Pearls Before Swine (Birdman)
It's hard to say why some '60s bands sound fresher than ever in the
'90s while others make you cringe.
Pearls Before Swine - an obscure but much-loved ever-shifting
collection of musicians around chief songwriter and singer Tom Rapp
- can be heard anew on an anthology that represents their five albums
on Reprise Records (1969-72) that appeared under the name Pearls Before
Swine or Tom Rapp (or both). The sound quality is beautiful, and the
songs ("Rocket Man," "The Jeweler," "Look Into Her Eyes," "City of
Gold") seem warmer and more immediate than ever. "Sail Away," from
the Reprise label debut These Things Too, still has the power to carry
listeners away. It's wise, wistful folk-pop: necessary pearls for
today's swine. - Jim Winders
The
Waking Hours
The Waking
Hours (Time Bomb)
Anybody remember rock & roll? You know, that magical combination of
bass, drums and two guitars that, when applied at ear-splitting volumes,
can make you want to consume mass quantities of illicit substances
and have wild, unprotected sex with someone you've just met? If you've
forgotten, Richmond, Va.'s
Waking Hours will be more than happy to jog your memory. This
is "classic rock" in the purest sense of the term - think of The Beatles,
Mott the Hoople, The Flamin' Groovies and The Jam, served up with
a modern pop-punk sheen and garnished with Chuck Berry licks. Play
it loud at your next festive occasion, and keep it cranked until the
keg runs out; your friends, neighbors, and even your local constable
will thank you. - Dan Epstein
Ken
Boothe
A
Man And His Hits (Heartbeat)
Originally released on the Studio One label during the rock steady period
of the late '60s, this was
Ken Boothe's third album under Clement "Coxsone" Dodd and one that
showcases Boothe's distinctive, resolute voice perfectly. Songs like
"You're No Good," "Artibella" (with Stranger Cole) and "The Train Is
Coming,"(with The Wailers) are all proof of God's existence and classics
in every sense of the word. Unlike the original, this nicely packaged
collection includes some previously unreleased material such as the
marvelous, extended version of "Won't You Come Home," a tune whose rhythm
was later used by a wholeheap of artists including, Sugar Minott, Frankie
Paul and Little John. For a real taste of Jamaican soul music, try this
prize morsel from Mr. Rock Steady, you won't be disappointed. - Trevor
Holland
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