Long Gone Fools

THE CARDIGANS

Southpaw

Brooklyn, NY

5/9/04

What at first looked like faded indie darlings trying to recapture their fanbase with a first-rate show at a small but noteworthy venue, rapidly revealed itself to be nothing more than a record label-sponsored promo for the band’s latest release Long Gone Before Daylight. Which wouldn’t have been a problem if: a) it had been a free show; and b) Long Gone Before Daylight wasn’t such a resounding bore (it’s quite telling that long-time producer Tore Johansson left very early on during the album’s recording sessions). So we endured almost two hours of third rate pseudo Eagles–-that’s the new direction these one time inventive alt-rockers have chosen--during which –-to add insult to injury--they purposely left out any material from their breakthrough album First Band On The Moon, including their only US hit, "Lovefool". The look of disgust from one of the venue’s bartenders as he gave The Cardigans the finger after their last encore, sums up our feelings as well.

The Reverse Sophomore Slump

After years of honing that initial batch of songs that lands an artist a record deal and a widespread fanbase, it's time to write and record a second album within the timeframe of only a few months. No wonder many artists have less than stellar followup albums the second time around. Hell, some of 'em disappear after the debut. Here are "5" that exceeded their initial recorded effort, and in certain instances delivered their greatest album.

In alphabetical order by artist:


CAFÉ TACUBA Re [WEA Latina-1994]
After their initial self-titled filler-drenched offering, no one expected much from Mexico City’s Café Tacuba. That the follow-up was a monumental record both critically and commercially underscored just how far the band had grown between albums. A sprawling tour de force that has been often compared to the Beatles’ White Album in terms of scope and adventurous spirit, Re not only foreshadowed Café Tacuba’s exploratory bent but is also one of the crowning achievements of the Latin American rock and roll movement.


LIVING COLOUR Time’s Up [Epic-1990]
After a strong but definitely textbook debut –-finely tuned live set list with a choice cover tacked on-- Living Colour pulled all the stops and delivered what is to this day their finest record. The Grammy-award winning Time’s Up was a much more challenging but clearly accessible listen. And the deft sequencing of the track order aided and accentuated the natural flow of this diverse and intoxicating disc

("This Is The Life" is arguably one of the greatest closing tracks on any rock album). As engaging and satisfying now as it was upon its release a decade and a half ago, Time’s Up is an underrated hard rock classic. Cameos: Mick Jagger, Little Richard, Queen Latifah, Maceo Parker, and Doug E. Fresh.

NIRVANA Nevermind [DGC-1991]
Despite one or two noteworthy tracks, Bleach was mostly an average grunge record typical of its time and place. What Cobain and co. unleashed upon the world two tears later, would not only leave that debut release in the dirt but in the process change the course of popular music and bring alternative/indie rock out into the limelight. But you already knew that.


RADIOHEAD The Bends [Parlophone-1995]
If Radiohead had called it quits after the oh-so ordinary Pablo Honey album, "Creep" would have been its lone claim to fame and the one hit wonder tag forever affixed to their name. Fortunately, this was not the case. What followed was an epic album, arguably the Brit-pop blueprint for the ‘90s. The band further pushed their own musical boundaries with OK Computer and Kid A, but this is the one that Coldplay, Travis and an army of others should gratefully pay royalties to Radiohead for.


ROBI ROSA Vagabundo [Sony Latin-1996]
While best known for writing former Menudo bandmate Ricky Martin’s biggest hits, Robi Rosa is also a former member of acclaimed ‘90s L.A. funksters Maggie’s Dream and an accomplished, risk-taking artist and performer in his solo work. Unfortunately, his initial solo venture was 1994’s Frio, an uneven affair on which he seemed lost.

It was as if he couldn’t decide whether to kowtow to the cheesy Miami-led Latin music hierarchy or strike out on its own. Two years later, Rosa made good on the promise of his enormous talent.

Vagabundo is Rosa at his finest; rife with meticulous arrangements, crunchy guitars, Beatle-esque orchestrations and solid performances throughout. A fantastic record in any language, it’s one of the finest rock albums ever recorded in Spanish. Definitely worth seeking out.


HONORABLE MENTION:

Suzanne Vega Solitude Standing [A&M-1987]

The Onstage Type

EVAN DANDO

Southpaw

Brooklyn, NY

2-13-04

On the final show of the American leg of his solo world tour the former Lemonhead made his way to a packed house in New York’s new hipster mecca with an hour-plus show that did not disappoint. Armed with his trusty but battered acoustic guitar—and sporting a dangling cigarette a la Keith Richards, in clear defiance of the city’s smoking ban—Dando was welcomed like a long lost hero, who then proceeded to run through an extensive set littered with countless favorites including "The Outdoor Type", his seminal cover of Victoria Williams’ "Frying Pan", "It’s A Shame About Ray" and selections from last year’s Baby I’m Bored. Welcome back, sir.

2003: The Year in Review

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
Outkast Speakerboxx/The Love Below [Arista]

A badly needed kick in the pants at a time when mainstream hip-hop is choking with stagnation. If this turns out to be their last effort together, well, what a way to go.

Runner Up:
Radiohead Hail To The Thief [Parlophone]


ALBUM OF THE YEAR (in another language):
Café Tacuba Cuatro Caminos [MCA]

Just as R.E.M. did with Monster, the Mexico City quartet decided to accentuate the rock side of their musical equation on Cuatro Caminos. Unlike Athens, Georgia’s favorite sons Tacuba succeeded wildly and in the process got more accolades and lip-service from the U.S. press than ever before.


FAVORITE ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
Nada Surf Let Go [Barsuk]

A band that we never really cared for–and that many had left for dead, after being dropped by Elektra–came out of nowhere and for quite a while laid almost exclusive claim to our cd player with one of the best records out this year.

Runner up:
Zwan Mary, Star of the Sea [Reprise]


SINGLE OF THE YEAR:
Outkast / "Hey Ya"

You had to be dead to not be captivated by the infectious spirit of this one.


BEST REISSUE:
Guided By Voices Human Amusements at Hourly Rates: The Best of Guided By Voices [Matador]

As Favor Flav once said, "we got some non-believers out there." This should take care of ‘em.

Runner Up:
The Beatles Let It Be … Naked [Capitol]
Stone Temple Pilots Thank You [Atlantic]


GUILTY PLEASURE OF THE YEAR:
Mandy Moore Coverage [Sony]

If someone had told us early in the year that towards the end of ’03 we’d be grooving to a Mandy Moore record, we’d have taken them out back and shot them like the rabid dog they would’ve seemed at the time. But lo and behold, Ms. Moore’s collection of covers grabbed a hold of us and we’re not ashamed to admit it.


BEST BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT:
The iTunes Music Store/Service

Sure, they need to get their indie catalog going and the lack of artwork for your purchases does kind of suck, but who can argue with tunes for 99 cents and whole albums for 10 bucks these days?

Runner up:
Universal Music lowering their non-multiple CD prices so that they retail for $12.99


WORST ALBUM:
Madonna American Life [Maverick]

After the return to form of Ray Of Light, Madge cashed in whatever forward momentum she’d earned by collaborating with dj/producer Mirwais twice. And while Music was a head-scratching affair, American Life is just plain dismal. Madonna, rapping?! Need we say more?


MOST UNWELCOME COMEBACK:
Liz Phair

Five years waiting for an indie rock queen to finally come out as a lame-ass pop star wannabe is wrong on so may levels. That she chased after Avril Lavigne and her ilk just adds insult to injury.


MOST UNDESERVED HYPE:
The Distillers

Ah, the great punk rock hope. Or so we were told. But when every single article and review placed more emphasis on frontwoman Brody Armstrong’s messy split from husband/Rancid leader Tim Armstrong than on their album Coral Fang, we knew something was up. Leave it to our friends at Mojo to articulate it best: "Coral Fang finds The Distillers aping the bloodless Hollywood impotence of Hole's Celebrity Skin, their 'punk rock' inoffensive and utterly forgettable." Ouch.


ANTI-ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Jason Mraz

This guy is so lame he makes John Mayer–aka Dave Matthews Jr.–seem like Lemmy from Motorhead. Unfortunately, enough frat girls bought his bland ass album to make him a constantly annoying presence. King Wuss, ascend to your throne. Your Abercrombie+Fitch-clad subjects await you.


WORST REISSUE:
The Fugees Greatest Hits [Ruffhouse/Sony]

This is not about the music but the fact that an artist with only 2 albums to their credit does not warrant a ‘greatest hits’ release. Especially when the bulk of said release is from their breakthrough album, which is what you should own to begin with.


WORST COVER VERSION:
Lots of bad ones out there lately but we settled on a tie between Kid Rock’s "Feel Like Making Love" and Pink’s "Trouble". Wait, that last one isn’t a cover–just a rip-off of The Vaselines’ "Molly’s Lips" made famous by Nirvana. Sorry.


MOST UNNECESSARY REHASHING:
Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of all Time

For their 20th anniversary in 1987 Rolling Stone compiled a list of the best albums of the previous two decades. Quite good, as a matter of fact. But plenty of great albums have seen the light of day in the last 15 years, so an update was in order. Not wholesale revision, which is
what this amounts to. Now that there are ex-Maxim people running the show over there we dreaded this sort of list ever making an appearance. No dice.


GOODBYE
The great Johnny Cash; Afro-Cuban music queen Celia Cruz; The Bee Gees' Maurice Gibb; music critic Ian MacDonald, author of Beatles reference tome Revolution in the Head; veteran solo artist and Power Station vocalist Robert Palmer; Cuban legend and Buena Vista Social Club member Compay Segundo; indie troubadour Elliott Smith; soul/R&B icon Barry White; the one and only Warren Zevon.

5 "Lost" Albums

Lord knows there are thousands of neglected albums out there worthy of a much kinder fate. We would probably have to dedicate every post for the rest of our natural (or is it, unnatural?) lives to correct such a wrong. Alas, this is not in the realm of possibility at this time. (What time would we have left for drinking and consorting with the opposite sex?) Anyway, this let's look into a few overlooked gems in the catalogs of artists whose output is quite well known, but for a variety of reasons these particular platters have fallen through the cracks. Here's a sampling (in alphabetical order by artist):

AEROSMITH
Done With Mirrors
[Geffen-1985]

With their health, creativity and popularity at an all time low and having to weather the departure of guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, Aerosmith hired replacements Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay and went about the business of releasing the much-maligned (but not all bad) Rock In A Hard Place [Columbia-1982]. After this incarnation of the band--for all intents and purposes--imploded immediately afterwards, the wheels were set in motion for a reunion of the original five. The fact that Perry and Whitford, respectively, weren't burning up the charts or setting attendance records on their own, surely made this a much easier proposition.

Now with the backing of a new label, their supposed comeback album Done With Mirrors met with a lukewarm response from both critics and fans alike. Which is quite surprising when you actually listen to it: the first half is a non-stop tour de force of classic Aerosmith raunch and swagger and none of the cheesy ballads that would subsequently propel them into the pop mainstream. It's rather telling that none other than The Replacements took to covering Done With Mirrors' "My Fist, Your Face" during their final tours. In the years since, Aerosmith have returned to their mid '70s popularity, and made bigger albums, but never better than this one.


MILES DAVIS
The Man With The Horn
[Columbia-1981]

After changing the face of jazz half a dozen times in the three previous decades, Miles announced his retirement with the release of the groundbreaking live albums Pangaea and Agharta [both Columbia-1975]. So obviously, expectations were rather high when the man did an about face and returned in 1981.

Unfortunately, this was not one of his greatest moments: his playing is off and some of the tunes aren't up to snuff (the dismal title track, particularly). Factor in the Miles Davis legend and, of course, disappointment will run rampant. But nonetheless, this is an engaging album when judged on its own merits and away from the harsh light of Davis' monumental status. Opening track "Fat Time" (dedicated to his then-sideman, guitarist Mike Stern) is alone, well-worth the price of admission.


ROBI ROSA
Vagabundo
[Sony Latin-1996]

Sure, he's best known for penning "Living La Vida Loca", "The Cup Of Life" and "Maria" for Ricky Martin and his own stint in Menudo, but Robi Rosa is also a former member of acclaimed '90s L.A. funksters Maggie's Dream and an accomplished, risk-taking artist and performer in his solo work. Vagabundo is Rosa at his finest; rife with meticulous arrangements, crunchy guitars, Beatle-esque orchestrations and solid performances throughout.

A fantastic record in any language, it is one of the finest rock records ever recorded in Spanish. Definitely worth seeking out.


STING
The Soul Cages
[A&M-1991]

In one of the boldest moves ever seen in popular music, Sting left--at the time--the biggest rock band in the world to pursue his jazz-influenced solo muse in the mid '80s. Two albums into a very successful new career he released a dark, brooding album that reflected his immense grief over the then recent death of his parents (The Soul Cages is dedicated to his father; the previous album, Nothing Like The Sun [A&M-1987] was dedicated to his mother).

Almost every review we've read of this album makes us think that we somehow picked up a different record: while we found it to be mature, majestic and quite beautiful, the press for the most part dismissed it as a difficult, indulgent, sour-tasting album. And despite the public's positive initial response to the Police-like first single "All This Time", their enthusiasm for The Soul Cages cooled off soon after. A shame really, since those willing to immerse themselves in this set will be rewarded with some of the most striking pop music made in recent times and some of Sting's very best.

Highlights: "Mad About You", "Why Should I Cry for You?", the hauntingly sublime centerpiece "The Wild Wild Sea", the aforementioned "All This Time", and the title track.


U2
October
[Island-1981]

Sandwiched between a fiery debut--Boy [Island-1980]--and their defiant, first masterpiece--War [Island-1983]--U2's sophomore effort is often forgotten among the more popular, influential and innovative albums that litter the Irish band's catalog. October is a simple record, albeit a passionate one.

While it has been said that perhaps U2 tried too hard not to succumb to the pitfalls of the dreaded sophomore slump--October does sound a bit forced and under cooked here and there--the album has many fine moments and still holds up rather well, decades later. Oh, and the back to back kick of opening tracks "Gloria", "I Fall Down", and "I Threw A Brick Through A Window", is for those of us who were around at the time, a reminder of U2's incredible promise and how they eventually made good on it--big time.

5
Written, Directed and Produced by Kiko Jones
A Ballsy Production

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Back in the saddle again, friends. We commissioned a guest editor to cook up last week’s stew , but a series of technical and personal problems prevented them from making the deadline. So rather than whip up some half-assed issue, we decided to take a break and return to form the following week. Which brings us to this issue.

Since we’ve been in a reflective mood of late, we felt like listing our Desert Island Discs, and of course, sharing them with you. Funny how this sort of exercise can lead to re-evaluating your record collection: discs that haven’t been in rotation lately can be dusted off and remind you of a certain time and/or place and consequently, why you still love them. Some you may love but aren’t necessarily D.I.D. material. Others may have outlasted their welcome or just don’t pack the same wallop they once did. In any event, it was very hard to come up with the 5 main records on the list at first, but as we looked back on their particular significance in our lives, the list wrote itself. Feel free to opine or even send in your own. We always love to hear from you. Whether or not we agree with what you have to say.

Later,
-KJ

"You can’t erase a dream/You can only wake me up"
–Peter Frampton, "Lines On My Face"

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COMMENTS, PRAISES AND DEATH THREATS:

This was REALLY SCARY: Four of the five things in your "recommended listening" section [5- 8/12/02] have been in my CD player or downloaded from Launch Video in the past month. Like I’ve said, I think we have the same musical chip implanted in our heads. Now I guess I should really give The Soft Bulletin the chance I never gave it since I agree with all your other recommendations.

JOSH NOREK Los Angeles, CA



Check out The Fags dude, they rock ... Never mind the
name.

NELSON GARCIA Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep.

[We did. And they do. Thanks for the tip. –KJ]



Hey Kiko, can five have a movies we love section???? Old and new and cult and all in between (pornos for fun)?

My 5 Faves:

1. Rear Window
2. Fight Club
3. Love And A .45
4. The Exorcist
5. Raging Bull


D. ANGER Sunnyside, NY

[Feel free to send in your faves anytime. –KJ]

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WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO:

DEFTONES White Pony (Maverick)
THE KNACK Get The Knack (Capitol)
MYRACLE BRAH –self titled- (NotLame)
OASIS Heathen Chemistry (Epic)
RED HOUSE PAINTERS Down Colorful Hill (4 A.D.)

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WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO ?

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MR. JONES’ 5 DESERT ISLAND DISCS (in alphabetical order by artist):

THE BEATLES Abbey Road (Apple-1969)
While Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is widely regarded as not only the Liverpudlians finest recorded moment, but the greatest rock album of all time, we are quite partial to their very last album (Let It Be was recorded before Abbey Road but released afterwards in 1970). On the verge of breaking up, the lads came together one last time. And what a way to go out: "Come Together", "Something", "Here Comes The Sun", "Because" , and the side 2 suite (on vinyl) that is to this day a marvel to behold, are a few of the highlights. Kudos to producer/arranger George Martin for his deft handiwork across the board –-literally and figuratively. As we’ve gotten older and truly appreciated the talent and musicianship involved in the making of this album, we find it hard not to put down our guitars in surrender and contemplate a career in, say, carpentry or something.


MILES DAVIS Kind Of Blue (Columbia-1959)
Question: How can this 40 year-old album --and one we’ve loved for so long-- still capture our hearts after uncounted repeated listenings?

Is it that:

a) as musicians we can appreciate the artistry of Miles and the cast of heavyweights on it (including John Coltrane and Bill Evans)?
b) as music fans it speaks to us so profoundly?
c) its presence brings an added reflective quality to any situation: from conversation to romance to bliss?
d) perhaps, all of the above?

Answer: d), silly.


PETER FRAMPTON Frampton Comes Alive! (A&M–1976)
Referred to in certain circles as "the Star Wars" of music (i.e., the blockbuster album that officially turned the music business into BIG business), Frampton Comes Alive! came at a crucial time in the career of its namesake: Four albums into a solo career that hadn’t really taken off, the former Humble Pie guitarist went into the studio to listen to live tapes from the previous year’s tour in support of Frampton (A&M-1975) for an upcoming live album. Upon hearing the tracks, visionary record man and A&M boss Jerry Moss was so excited by the results that he demanded the album be released as a double LP. Like there’s a chance in hell that the bean counters and corporate lackeys of today would let that happen now. Anyway, the bet paid off: Frampton Comes Alive! went on to become the biggest selling live album of all time and Frampton himself became a huge star and ‘70s icon. Sure, "Show Me The Way" and "Baby, I Love Your Way" have been played to death, but they still stand up. The acoustic tracks are quite lovely and heartfelt; the cover of The Stones’ "Jumping Jack Flash" rivals the original; and "Lines On My Face" and "Do You Feel Like We Do" retain their majesty and momentum more than a quarter of a century later. And we didn’t even get to Frampton’s rockin’ band and killer guitar playing! On the occasion of its 25th Anniversary, Universal released a deluxe edition of Frampton Comes Alive! in 2001. This album was love at first sound for us and it’s still very near and dear to our hearts. Obviously.


NIRVANA Nevermind (DGC-1991)
Disgusted and tired of the hair-band epidemic that had infected both the audio and visual airwaves during the second half of the ‘80s, we submerged ourselves in the music of college radio heavyweights such as The Cure, The Replacements, The Church, The Smiths, and –-at the time-- some slightly more obscure acts like Soundgarden and Mudhoney. So, as the hair farmers’ careers started dying off and a new vibe was in the air, we found ourselves catching the video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on MTV, late one night after 120 Minutes (we have since discovered it was the first time it ever aired on the video channel). After being won over by the song’s raw power, infectious melody and highly symbolic video clip (talk about the changing of the guard: a parallel universe-type gymnasium with tattooed cheerleaders; shaved, dreadlocked, and rainbow colored heads; and Bad Brains t-shirted misfits), we proceeded to purchase this soon to be ‘90s pop culture artifact and alt-rock landmark. Then and now, we were floored by the power, angst, and ultimately, catchy nature of Kurt Cobain’s songs and the monster Novoselic-Grohl rhythm section. A big influence on us ever since. That the mighty KC was born on our birthday is just a sweet plus.


DAVID SYLVIAN Gone To Earth (EMI-1986)
While always an interesting figure during his tenure as Japan frontman, David Sylvian has opted to go further away from the mainstream in his solo pursuits. A highly underrated art-rocker, Sylvian has collaborated with the likes of composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, the late Can bassist Holger Czukay and King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp. Gone To Earth is the beginning of his fruitful collaborations with the latter (they’ve made about half a dozen records together) and one of the most moving, beautiful and accessible experimental rock records ever made. Not to trivialize the dreamy soundscapes and the profound feeling of passion it evokes, but Gone To Earth also happens to be a perfect soundtrack for certain pleasures of the flesh. When it comes to that aspect of it, the album has become our veritable aural American Express: can’t leave home without it.


JUST A FEW HONORABLE MENTIONS (well, maybe not a few):
THE BEATLES Revolver; MIGUEL BOSE Bajo El Signo de Cain; WILLIE COLON presents RUBEN BLADES Metiendo Mano; CROSBY STILLS & NASH self-titled; NICK DRAKE Pink Moon; BLACK SABBATH Paranoid; THE CURE Wish; JUAN LUIS GUERRA & 440 Soplando; GUNS & ROSES Appetite for Destruction; JANE’S ADDICTION Ritual de lo Habitual; JELLYFISH Spilt Milk; LIVING COLOUR Time’s Up; JONI MITCHELL Blue; MY BLOODY VALENTINE Loveless; THE POLICE Zenyatta Mondatta; THE POSIES Amazing Disgrace; SMASHING PUMPKINS Gish; SODA STEREO Sueño Stereo; SOUNDGARDEN Superunknown; MATTHEW SWEET Girlfriend; YES Close To The Edge; and many, many more.

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IN THE FLESH: Toni Tennille (as in The Captain and …) sings backup on Pink Floyd’s The Wall.
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Comments, Praises, Death Threats and info on previous "5"s: KikoJonesUSA@yahoo.com

5
Written, Directed and Produced by Kiko Jones
A Ballsy Production

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We’re always turning on friends to cool records that we’ve come across in our musical travels. It’s a big part of our raison d’ être as music fans. A few of these platters we periodically review here, but some never make it to "5". We intend to correct that particular omission in this issue. This is music we’ve been raving about for the last year or two and recommended to acquaintances and friends approaching us with the ubiquitous "What’s out that’s any good?" or "What’s been blowing your mind lately?" inquiries. Enjoy the show.

Later,
-KJ

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COMMENTS, PRAISES AND DEATH THREATS:

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WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO:

BARE JR. Brainwasher (Immortal)
LA BARRANCA Tempestad (BMG US Latin)
DULCES PESADILLAS Cuando Duermes –advance copy-
STONE GOSSARD Bayleaf (Epic)
VELVET SUN Dreamhome (Flotation)

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WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO ?

COLDPLAY Rush of Blood to the Head (Parlophone)
LENINE Falange (BMG Brazil)
DAVID GRAY A Century Ends (Hut)
JOHN MAYER Room for Squares (Aware/Columbia)
EMILIANA TORRINI Love In The Time Of Science (Fat Cat)

FICO LAZZARO Washington, DC


DOWN II: Bustle In Your Hedgerow
WEEZER Pinkerton
WEEZER -self titled- (aka The Blue Album)
Zona De Obras Magazine Peru Compilation
CHICHI PERALTA Y SON FAMILIA Pa Otro Lao
SOZIEDAD ALKOHOLIKA Directo
FRANK SINATRA Duets
BILLY JOEL Greatest Hits 3

LEO SUSANA Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep.

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RECOMMENDED LISTENING (in alphabetical order):

JUMBO D.D. Y Ponle Play (BMG US Latin)

The exact opposite of what is commonly known as a sophomore slump, the follow-up to Jumbo’s tentative 1999 debut Restaurant is quite a spirited affair. Chock full of soaring choruses, solid playing and held together by a finely tuned production approach that gives the proceedings its underlying fluidity, D.D. Y Ponle Play is a rousing rock and roll record from start to finish. Fans of Sloan and Teenage Fanclub will surely find a lot to like in a record that would kick-ass in any language, with even the most cursory of listens (D.D. Y Ponle Play actually includes two songs in English: "Happy High" and "Far Out"). In the last few years, the northern city of Monterrey has become Mexico’s de-facto rock and roll epicenter. This album –and Jumbo itself- are a big reason why.


FINN BROTHERS –self titled- (Capitol-1995)
The Brothers Finn are New Zealanders Tim and Neil, of Split Enz/Crowded House and respective solo fame. This hauntingly beautiful album is performed almost in its entirety by the singing siblings and given an understated but effectively moody, atmospheric canvas by noted producer Tchad Blake (Los Lobos, Pearl Jam, Peter Gabriel). Reminiscent of American Music Club circa Mercury, the album’s highlights include "Only Talking Sense", "Last Day of June" and "Where Is My Soul?" (Both the brothers and the non-US version of this album are simply known as Finn).


FLAMING LIPS The Soft Bulletin (Warner Bros-1999)
Hailed as, arguably, the best rock album of 1999, it’s hard to believe this album has been in and out of our cd player (mostly in) for the last 3 years. Time flies when the whimsical but never precious sonic fabrications of Oklahoma City’s finest surround you. "Where’s the old noisy Flaming Lips I knew and loved?" you may ask. Well, the feedback and white noise that made them infamous have gradually given way to keyboards, strings and other assorted sonic landscapes. A risky, but artistically viable –and subsequently, fruitful- step in the right direction, as far as we’re concerned. But not everyone feels the same way: we came across a review that disparagingly referred to The Soft Bulletin as a misstep where seemingly " … Led Zeppelin and Yes joined forces to back Neil Young …". Nothing wrong with that in our book.


OWSLEY –self titled- (Giant-1999)
After his band The Semantics -an early version of which included Ben Folds on drums(!)- floundered after Geffen Records decided not to domestically release their debut album Powerbill (it sold 20,000 copies in Japan with no promotion whatsoever), Wil Owsley became a sideman for the likes of Amy Grant and Shania Twain. With the income from his guitar-slinger day job, Owsley started work on his self-titled debut album, which he recorded at home over the space of three years. This is an undiscovered gem littered with old-school pop hooks, catchy guitars and muscular drums. The top-notch songs may benefit from the spot-on mixes by über-engineer Tom Lord-Alge, but like Nirvana’s Nevermind, this is one of those albums where the songwriting and arrangements are too strong for you to notice how polished it is - until it’s too late: by then you’re hooked for good.


WEEZER "Keep Fishin’" -single off of Maladroit (Geffen-2002); video directed by Marcos Siega
Released exactly a year (364 days to be precise) after their comeback-inducing, self-titled disc (aka The Green Album), press and fans alike have been whole-heartedly embracing Weezer’s latest album Maladroit. To be honest, we’ve never dug anything by the band other than their first hit single "Buddy Holly". And frankly, we can’t get past the cock-rock posturing of the first couple of tunes on Maladroit, not to mention the well-meaning, but ultimately unsatisfying forays into emo and punk towards the end of the disc. But this song is driving us CRAZY!!! This is three minutes and five seconds of pure ear-candy bliss, in the same vein as Cheap Trick’s Live At Budokan classic "I Want You To Want Me". That a song like "Keep Fishin’" would garner mainstream exposure in 2002 is, on its own, nothing short of remarkable. Which brings us to the equally ebullient Marcos Siega directed clip. A faux Muppet Show episode, it features Kermit and the gang panicking over the disappearance of Weezer drummer Patrick Wilson (who’s been kidnapped by none other than Miss Piggy) moments before the band is due to perform. Siega has put together a cute, nostalgic little trip (with head Weezer Rivers Cuomo quite visibly amused throughout the whole thing) that holds up after repeated viewings/listens. Trust us: the last time we were this enthusiastic about a song and its video, Reagan was president.


You might also want to look into: JOHN COLTRANE The Classic Quartet: Complete Impulse! Studio Recordings (Impulse); CPR -self titled- (Samson); DESORDEN PUBLICO Plomo Revienta (Sony Venezuela); JASON FALKNER presents Author Unknown (Elektra); DAVE NAVARRO Trust No One (Capitol).
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TEACH YOUR CHILDREN: Guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani can count fellow fret kings Steve Vai, Metallica’s Kirk Hammet, renowned jazzman Charlie Hunter, and Primus’ Larry LaLonde among his former guitar students.

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Comments, Praises And Death Threats: KikoJonesUSA@yahoo.com

5
Written, Directed and Produced by Kiko Jones
A Ballsy Production

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Last week was a lot of fun. Ranting can be quite liberating. Must do it again sometime. Soon.

Remember, feel free to forward "5" or better yet, let us know and we’ll send them an introductory e-mail and put them on the list. It could be your early Christmas or Hannukah gift to them. In which case, they’d hate you for being so cheap. But hey, you thought enough of them to give "5"! And that’s a gift in and of itself. Damn, we laid it thick …

Anyway, we’re back to random topics this week. We held back as much as we could, but in the end we just had to address this recent Michael Jackson fiasco. Besides, you were expecting it.

Hope all is well.

Enjoy,
-KJ

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COMMENTS, PRAISES AND DEATH THREATS:

Hey KJ,
I love rants [5 We Love To Hate - 7/29/02]. You should do them more often. Maybe put up a couple of audio rants on the site. 45 seconds of pure bile.

I agree with you on all almost everything, but I'm a big Kiss fan. I can see where you can get pissed off by comments and actions from someone like Simmons, but that doesn't condition my like or dislike for the music. I just think that Gene Simmons is an expert at getting attention and milking everything for every little ounce of publicity. Come to think of it, he is kind of an asshole. But hey, I don't know him personally. Don't want to.

Fred Durst... my God... poor fellow. He hasn't hurt my family, hasn't don't anything offensive, except practically RUIN 2 Years of POP music WITH his garbage and infect my drummer with Limp Biskit-itis (AAAAGGGGGGGHHHHH). Thank the Lord, WES left... When even a member of a band can't stand what's going on , it kinda shows that detractors aren't that far off. I don't like to judge but I think Limp Biskit SUCKSSSSS! I Like "Nookie", though (can't win 'em all ... I do it all for the Nookie.... yeah right).

You're right about Spielberg. I guess that's why I liked his work when I was really young. Big fan of Raiders and shit like that. Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan are both beautiful movies; visually stunning but have some sappy moments that really fry my brains...

Coño, KJ.. You’re on it! "5" makes you think! It's good for the soul. It also makes me realize how much time I've invested in pop culture . Gotta start reading more ... Less MTV, more Cortazar!

LEO SUSANA Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep.


Could have been my favorite issue if you would have put 10 to 20 on the crime list.

ERIC HALPERIN Brooklyn NY


Howard Stern may be crude to certain people, but to make a blanket statement incriminating anyone who is a fan of Howard is ten times more dangerous and ignorant than all of his shows put together. Does anyone remember laughter? Nuff said.

G.R. JONES Brooklyn, NY

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WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO:

JERRY CANTRELL Degradation Trip (Roadrunner)
CHOCOLATE GENIUS Black Music (V2)
THE KNACK Get The Knack (Capitol)
POKET Mas Aceitosos Que Nunca (La Viuda)
WILCO Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Nonesuch)

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WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO ?

OASIS Heathen Chemistry
WEEZER Maladroit
FITO PAEZ Rey Sol
ABSINTH Live At Ocho Puertas
SANTUARIO Adicto Al Kaos

I was reading a Dominican magazine the other day and for some reason had a problem with the title "electronica genius". This piece was about Moby … who I think is full of crap.

NELSON GARCIA Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep.

[What magazine was it? -KJ]


THE CRANES Future Songs
JAMES Getting Away With It-Live
VAN MORRISON Astral Weeks
DAVID BOWIE Low
BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB -self titled-

G.R. JONES Brooklyn, NY

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THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE IT
It turns out that Slick Rick has been held with out bail sine his June 1st arrest in Miami. The London-born rapper was detained by the INS on the grounds that his 1991 felony conviction is grounds for deportation. Interestingly, the Ruler (as Rick is also known) was released from jail from his conviction on that charge in 1996. He won two cases against the INS, but they succeeded on a 1999 appeal - the outcome of which was allegedly not made known to Rick or his attorneys. He’s currently not being granted bail because he’s a flight risk. Huh?! The INS can send dead hijackers visa renewals but can’t let go of this thing? After all, this guy served his time and has been crime-free (as far as we know) for the 6 years since his release. So what gives? As for the consequences of eventually being deported, Slick Rick is married and has several children, as well as other relatives in the NY area. He claims that although London was his birthplace, he has no family ties there. His label, Def Jam, has an online petition on its site (http://defjam.com) urging the INS to at least grant Rick bail while he resolves his legal problems. Stay tuned.


OFF THE WALL
Instead of accepting the fact that his lackluster albums and the scandal surrounding his alleged child molesting is what has finally brought his once shining star back to earth, it's sad to see Michael Jackson resort to pathetic shenanigans and worse, to have people believe him. Yes, the music biz is corrupt, devious and greedy. But not racist (isn't hip-hop outselling everything else these days?). No record company cares what color you are if you make them enough green. And Jackson doesn't make them enough green anymore. That still doesn’t explain as to why -according to him- they would allegedly sabotage their biggest investment. And as far as the shoddy treatment of black artists (not to mention white and brown) by the industry over the years is concerned, it is without a shadow of a doubt, quite a sad truth. What a horrible legacy of thievery and deceit! But Berry Gordy, P. Diddy, Suge Knight, and many other African-American label heads are part of this shameful legacy as well. It’s not a black thing, it’s a green thing. Michael Jackson’s remarks and accusations make a mockery of the plight of those that have, in fact, been ripped-off by their labels. This latest scandal appears to be his last stand; the final act in what has become a lackluster and quite disappointing tragedy, under the guise of a career.


LOST IN THE SHUFFLE
Now that the inept members of the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America, the major labels’ trade organization) have failed at providing an alternative to the music-sharing sites, and the research and implementation of their copy-free CDs in the marketplace has gone belly up, they want the government to let them hack into music-pirating sites. Yes, hack. Of course, that’s illegal. But cloaked underneath the Peer to Peer Piracy Prevention Act is wording that, if passed, would enable them do just that. Fuck, you all know how much we hate piracy, but this is just some bullshit. Before you know it, these clueless morons will be "accidentally" disabling non-offending sites left and right and wreaking even more havoc. We give up. The artists aren’t doing much to fight the RIAA and alert their respective fanbases as to how piracy affects their livelihood, either. The P2P bill (now, there’s an analogy) will in all likelihood come up for a vote in Congress this fall. The sad thing is that if RIAA’s membership came up with a really solid online subscription service right now, they could rack in BIG bucks. But they’re too busy keeping their collective head up their ass while searching for clues.


THE CALL OF THE SIREN MAY BE MET WITH A ROAR
Somewhat to our regret, we did not attend this year’s second annual Siren Festival, once again held in Coney Island on this past July 20th. Our ambiguity stems from not really being a fan of any of the acts on the bill, and subsequent reports of oppressive heat and uncontainable crowds, from "5"ers on the scene. We noticed that main sponsor The Village Voice took out an ad recently, where they congratulated everyone involved in this year’s event (which as far as we know, they didn’t do after last year’s maiden voyage) and looked forward to 2003. However, they may have to contend with the Mouse. Reports have been circulating that Disney is seriously interested in taking over Coney Island. And we all know that if this comes to pass, it’s goodbye old-school charm, rickety Cyclone and alt-rock festivals; hello , Times Square on the beach. The new, antiseptic, Giuliani-approved, Branson MO-wanna-be Times Square, that is. Hopefully, Disney will oblige us and take its bullshit elsewhere. Yeah, right.


CQ (2002) Directed by Roman Coppola
The feature film directorial debut by Francis Ford’s eldest son (his first appearance on film was playing Sonny Corleone as a child in The Godfather Part 2) is actually three films in one: Jeremy Davies (Saving Private Ryan) is an American working on a low-budget Barbarella-type film called Dragonfly in 1969 Paris, while filming a black and white documentary on his everyday life. After Dragonfly’s director (Gerard Depardieu) is fired for not providing a satisfactory ending, and his replacement (Jason Schwartzman) is removed from the project, Davies is promoted from editor to director. Now, on top of his struggle to come up with a climactic ending that will conform to both the producer’s (Giancarlo Giannini) tacky concept and his own sense of artistry, he has to contend with his live-in girlfriend’s cries of emotional abandonment; his falling for Dragonfly’s leading lady (Angela Lindvall); and of course, the conclusion to his own little flick. Sound familiar, you artists out there? Director Roman Coppola does a fine job his first time out, although the unavoidable ironic twist is the fact that he couldn’t come up with a satisfying ending for CQ itself. Hmm. A fun, entertaining picture, nonetheless. Look for sister Sofia Coppola’s cameo as Giancarlo Giannini’s mistress.

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BLAST OF SILENCE: This year mark’s the 50th anniversary of avant-garde composer John Cage’s most notorious piece: "4:33", popularly known as "Silence". It requires a pianist to sit at the instrument, in silence, for four minutes and thirty-three seconds before a live audience. The sound of the room (generally, the uncomfortable audience) is the actual rendition of the piece.

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Comments, Praises And Death Threats: KikoJones@yahoo.com

5
Written, Directed and Produced by Kiko Jones
A Ballsy Production

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OK, the gloves are off. Time to rant and pour out some of the toxic contents of our simmering cauldron of revulsion and extreme dislikes. Sounds like a party! This issue is dedicated to the annual 100 Worst People Places and Things feature in the defunct Spy magazine, which brought us so much joy in the past and was the inspiration for this week’s issue.

Enjoy,
-KJ

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COMMENTS, PRAISES AND DEATH THREATS:

Following in the spirit of the list of 100 cd's to throw away [5: "Check Your Head" – 7/22/02] -and 100 must haves - here are my Top Ten (unfortunately, it changes from time to time):

The Clash - London Calling
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Chris Cornell - Euphoria Morning
Ac/Dc - Back In Black
Weezer - Pinkerton
Fabulosos Cadillacs - Fabulosos Calavera
The Beatles - Revolver
Pink FLoyd - The Final Cut
Ozzy Osbourne - Speak of The Devil
Metallica - Ride The Lightning
Slayer - Reign in Blood

OK, 11... there's more.... but what the hell. I would have to include:

Juan Luis Guerra - Areito
Silvio Rodriguez - Al Final De Este Viaje
U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind
Weezer self-titled [Which one? –KJ]

Top Five Movies:

The Godfather
The Godfather 2

3 more .... hmmm, I have enough with those two.

Well, I like a lot of movies ... one of these days I’ll send you a list so we can fight over it.
Ha Ha!!

LEO SUSANA Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep.

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WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO:

CAPTAIN BEFFHEART Trout Mask Replica (Warner Bros)
THE BREEDERS Pod (Elektra/4 A.D.)
CIRCO No Todo Lo Que Es Pop Es Bueno (Head)
NOVA -advance release-

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WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO ?

CARLOS GARDEL Best Of (Hemisphere)
AUGUSTUS PABLO Original Rockers (Greensleves)
BOLA SETE At the Monterey Jazz Festival (Verve)
ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM Wave (A&M)

ROBERT JULIAN New York, NY


SOZIEDAD ALKOHOLIKA - Directo (Mil a Gritos)
SOZIEDAD ALKOHOLIKA - Polvo en Mis Ojos (Mil A Gritos)
SLIPKNOT - Iowa (Roadrunner)
GLUECIFER - Basement Apes (SPV)
SOBER - 3 singles: "Diez Añoz", "Arrepentido" & "Versus"
ANSINTH - Live At 8 Puertas –independent-

LEO SUSANA Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep.

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5 WE LOVE TO HATE (in alphabetical order):

- INTERSCOPE RECORDS

CRIMES: Signed Limp Bizkit; Made Fred Durst a Vice President of A&R, so that he could sign more crappy bands and inflict the likes of Puddle of Mudd upon us, while indulging him in his already ripe pastime of directing horrid video clips; Dropped Aimee Mann from roster, who immediately afterwards –thankfully- went on to bigger and better things; Via Farmclub.com tried to strong arm indie-band The Rosenbergs into an onerous, one-sided agreement in exchange for TV exposure.

MITIGATING FACTOR: Parent company Vivendi Universal is in financial trouble. Yea!


- KID ROCK

CRIMES: Contributed prominently to the return of such hoary hair-farmer cliches as strippers, self-hating groupies and expensive, tacky videos to mainstream music scene; Got his marginally talented DJ, Uncle Kracker, a record deal; Inspired even more unimaginative, white, suburban rappers to pick up the mic; Fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams Jr.

MITIGATING FACTOR: Someone who can write a line like "Punk Rock: The Clash/Boy bands are trash/I like Johnny Cash and Grand Master Flash" and mean it, can’t be all bad.


- GENE SIMMONS

CRIMES: Greedy, obnoxious asshole of very little discernible musical talent who doesn’t seem to know when to quit, despite the retirement wishes of crony Paul Stanley; At the time, celebrated the death of Kurt Cobain in every publication or show that would have him (ironically, Kurt –like most of the ‘90s alt-rockers that this low life constantly berated- was a Kiss fan. Hey, nobody’s perfect); In order to inflict more of his arrogant, ego-centric ravings and non-existent sense of style and taste on the public, Simmons has recently started a magazine and a clothing line.

MITIGATING FACTOR: Discovered Van Halen. Fuck.


- STEVEN SPIELBERG

CRIMES: Ushered –and is a continuing presence in- an era of big-budget blockbusters at the expense of smaller, more daring films, which has led to a climate of opening weekend box office/bottom line madness, making Spielberg the de-facto godfather of crass commercialism in cinema; A spiritual descendant of the ultra-corny Frank Capra, Spielberg has marred even his best films with unbelievably lame and vastly unnecessary melodrama (see the final scenes of the title characters in both Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan), for which he has demonstrated a junkie-like weakness.

MITIGATING FACTOR: Spielberg is a partner in Dreamworks, whose music division is home to Eels, Elliot Smith, Henry Rollins and Blinker The Star.


- HOWARD STERN

CRIMES: Either an elaborate hoax –which would make it a highly crude form of performance art- or a straightforward, rancid spewfest, Stern’s nationally syndicated radio show has provided a home on the airwaves for closet rednecks (and the not so closeted, as well) with its endless parade of racists, porn queens, strippers, misogynists, xenophobes and various other examples of socially and mentally damaged goods; Followers belief that all of this is somehow acceptable behavior is reinforced by Stern’s encouragement.

MITIGATING FACTOR: Makes it easier to spot the prejudiced. After all, how tolerant of others can you really be if you’re a fan of this filth? Think about it.

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DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK: ‘80s B-movie actress and sometime singer E.G. Daily (Valley Girl, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure), is the voice of one of The Power Puff Girls.

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Comments, Praises And Death Threats: KikoJonesUSA@yahoo.com

5Written, Directed and Produced by Kiko Jones
A Ballsy Production

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It’s been a fun couple of days over here at the "5" factory. For one, we’ve had an embarrassment of riches in terms of source material. This one practically wrote itself. Well, not quite. But you get the idea.

Anyway, stay cool. It’s hot out there. In here, too.

Later,
-KJ
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COMMENTS, PRAISES AND DEATH THREATS:

Welcome departure, Mr. Jones [7/15/02: 5 Flicks We Love]. What if one of the 5 was always a movie?

IVAN GARCIA New York, NY
[That’s a thought. We’ll see what we can do. In the meantime, check out our topics for this week. This issue might be what you had in mind –KJ]

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WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO:

FLACO JIMENEZ Said And Done (Virgin)
THE GRAYS Ro Sham Bo (Epic)
JLS Serpiente En El Huerto (Zero)
ADAM SCHMITT Illiterature (Reprise)
12 RODS Separation Anxieties (Virgin)

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WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO ?

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS By the Way (Warner Bros)
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND Busted Stuff (RCA)
COUNTING CROWS Hard Candy (Geffen)
JJ72 Oxygen (Columbia)
SIGUR ROS Agaetis Byrjun (Fat Cat)

FICO LAZZARO Washington, DC

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THE YOUTH ARE GETTING RESTLESS
Although we’ve always admired and respected Sonic Youth, we haven’t been paying close attention to the more recent output by the venerated downtown/avant NYC combo. But during a recent music-shopping jaunt, we were genuinely gratified when informed that the cool album we had been listing to over the store PA was none other than Murray Street, SY’s newest release. Hauntingly sparse and melodic, we couldn’t help being reeled in by it’s subtle charms and soundscapes, confirming the spot-on decision of bringing noted producer/guitarist Jim O’Rourke on board as a full-fledged member. While we are genuinely surprised that in this plastic-music climate the band is still on a major label (and Murray Street is, in fact, selling quite briskly), what we didn’t expect was the scathing post-adolescent diary rant masquerading as a review, penned by Amy Phillips in the July 10-16 issue of the Village Voice. Aside from confessions of her once blind, teenage love for the band (for all the wrong reasons, mind you) what her piece comes down to is the earth-shattering realization -for her, of course- that since she didn’t like it, the album consequently sucks. What?! Is this the kind of waste that passes for music criticism at the Voice these days? What nonsense!


CHOCOLATE GENIUS / River To River Festival / Castle Clinton, NYC - 7/11/02
Cracking jokes with a relaxed, laid back demeanor while a gorgeous sunset provided a sublime backdrop, Chocolate Genius (aka Mark Anthony Thompson) performed nearly a dozen songs from both his albums Black Music and Godmusic for a rapt audience of 1200 fans and curious onlookers alike. Ably backed by a four-piece band that understood how to approach his Tom-Waits-meets-Jeff-Buckley-while-listening-to-Marvin-Gaye sound and featuring Elysian Fields guitarist Oren Bloedow as musical director, the Genius made the most of this outfit -as nimble and nuanced an accompanist as the songs they were performing.
In a little under an hour Chocolate Genius demonstrated once again why he’s NY’s best kept secret and why he shouldn’t be any longer. Make it a point to find out for yourself.


CHECK YOUR HEAD
It’s a given that each and every one of us has dead weight occupying space in our respective record collections. Not just crap, but stuff that that ranges from good to great that we rarely ever get around to listening to anymore. And, for reasons we ourselves do not know, refuse to bid them adieu. So when we read the introduction to Jaguaro.com’s One Hundred Albums You Should Remove from Your Collection Immediately, we let loose a chuckle and prepared ourselves for what we hoped would be a funny and informative piece. Albeit potentially polarizing, but in a good way. Instead, what we encountered was a mostly bitter, self-indulgent rant, littered with such pearls of wisdom as "all live albums suck".
So, we’re supposed to get rid of Paul’s Boutique because The Beastie Boys’ delivery of their rhymes hasn’t changed since ’89? Bowie’s Hunky Dory gets dissed but not the EXTREMELY over-rated Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars? You can’t help but wonder if these people have listened to any of the records on their list lately. Or if, for example, they’re just taking out their displeasure with Dave Grohl’s admittedly clownish antics on his former band’s landmark album Nevermind.
While it’s hard to disagree with their assessment of Combat Rock, The Beatles’ Let It Be, Synchronicity, Pretty Hate Machine, Dookie, Midnight Vultures or most of the Beastie Boys’ catalog -to name a few- the list basically plays as a whiny screed from people who just didn’t get it and are now pissed for finally having to admit that they were way too embarrassed/spineless to avoid buying albums they weren’t into in the first place (Coltrane’s Giant Steps, "a tedious, embarrassing, snoozer of an album"? The Flaming Lips’ The Soft Bulletin, "a monstrosity"? Huh?!). Shame on you for being gullible. Don’t take it out on the rest of us.

[Thanks to "5"er Jeff Kent for forwarding this piece to us –KJ]

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YO LA TENGO / Celebrate Brooklyn Festival / Prospect Park, Brooklyn - 7/12/02
It takes guts for a noisy rock band to open a set with the likes of "Big Day Coming", a beautifully mellow song from their superb 1993 album Painful (especially when said album also includes a rockin’, high energy version of the same) but not only did they pull it off, the full-capacity crowd let them know early on that on this wonderful summer night they could do no wrong.
Of course, Hoboken’s finest were not about to toy with the faithful: three songs into the set vocalist/guitarist Ira Kaplan gave ‘em what they wanted, ripping into his trademark Neil Young-by-way-of-Sonic Youth wall of feedback, lost in the sound and shaking like a demented puppet. Yo La Tengo (rounded out by drummer/vocalist Georgia Hubley and longtime bassist/vocalist James McNew) were simply at their best, taking the audience on a splendid ride that made pit stops along their decade-plus career, reaffirming right from the outset why they are not only indie-rock royalty, but a kick ass live band to boot.

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UNDERCOVER BROTHER (2002) directed by Malcolm Lee
With most comedy films these days it’s all about stupidity and not much in the way of genuine, honest to goodness silliness, which is where this little flick comes in. Starring Eddie Griffin in the title role-–a ‘70s style, Robin Hood-type badass who’s so cool, his Big Gulp orange soda won’t even spill in a car chase--and featuring the very funny David Chappelle and the yummy Denise Richards, Undercover Brother is a fun, wacky blaxploitation spoof with some Austin Powers thrown in for good measure. Based on the popular internet cartoon of the same name, UB does lag slightly here and there, but its short running time (it clocks in at 85 minutes) and steady supply of gags and amusing situations more than make up for it. Go check it out.

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GOD BLESS THE MAN: Not only did he discover Billie Holiday, but the late John Hammond Sr discovered and/or nurtured the careers of Count Basie, George Benson, Charlie Christian, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin and Bruce Springsteen. He’s also renowned bluesman John Hammond Jr’s dad.

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