stevecanmakeanythingnerdy

Hi, I'm Steve, and I can make anything nerdier than it needs to be. This is a blog about stuff I care about...which are usually things other humans find boring, stupid or silly. Needless to say, I don't have a lot in common with most individuals. But who cares, right? that's why the internet was invented...so we can all be anti-social together. All images are mine, unless noted otherwise. I write about pointless things in an attempt to bring humor to whomever stumbles across it. Mostly I write about random record workouts though. Enjoy? p.s. in case I didn't already mention it ( p.p.s. I did ) all images are mine unless otherwise noted.. So these random record workout things...what are the rules (No one) you ask(ed)? Well, basically, I choose two records from my collection, completely at random. The i listen to whichever side comes out of the sleeve, face up. During the listening process, I record the calorie count and other stats like time and number of songs. Then I add up these stats and percentages and the winner is the record with the most calories burned per minute. Usually there is some kind of "playoff" at the end of the season to see who is the ultimate calorie burning champ. So, there you have it...randomrecordworkout.

[stevecanmakeanythingnerdy]

Battle #28

In 3-D: No Glasses Needed ( Side Two )

Vs.

Our Daughter’s Wedding : Moving Windows ( Side 1 )

In 3-D: No Glasses Needed ( Side Two )

I literally could find no information on this band. So either they don’t exist, or I can use this opportunity to make up an insane backstory and no one can dispute me or fact check. As best I can tell from album information it’s from right smack dab in the middle of the 80s. 1985 to be precise and I don’t know why but the vibe I initially got when I saw it was that of Christian rock. I can’t say specifically what led to that feeling but I took the gamble (it was 50 cents, so...humorous if nothing else). Lyrically I can find nothing that suggests it to be of any religious undertones, and it seems absent of thanking any God, so I guess we are in the clear there. A quick pan of the text reveals that there IS a guy that goes by the name of “nail” in the band. No other name given, just “nail”. Hmmm...that’s probably why I decided to drop the two quarters and go for it. Other than that, no discernible hints as to what they might otherwise be about, audio or lifestyle-wise. One thing is for certain, upon hearing the first notes ring out, they paid up on the studio time. “Under My Umbrella” is first and is clearly the inspiration for Rihanna’s song of the same name. Kidding of course. My initial thoughts go to The Police. Poppy but light and intricate beats. It starts out with the old children’s traditional tune “it’s raining/it’s pouring / the old man is snoring “. You know the one. Then the band switches it up to a punkier and more metallic sounding song with “It’s Up To You”. The tempo is through the roof and the echo effect on the vocals is a little distracting but there is a cool “tape breaking” sound effect on beat. It serves to change up the tempo and fade out. It’s different and thinking outside the box. I like it. “Memories of a Man (Playin’ the Game)” is next. More straightforward rock on this one. Proving that they are not your average players. I guess this is where the Nashville comes in. (The label that put it out is in Nashville). Some insightful lyrics of inner turmoil done as only 80s hard rock can do. “Never Again” finds us discovering Journey meeting Cinderella complete with some thick ass keys. Tight Tom fills too. This is DEFINITELY the guitarist “show-off” song. “Going on (Separate Planes)” is another rocker that’s not quite Van Halen but hovers right around Quiet Riot. UFO...and not just in subject matter of the tune. The final *song* is called “Exit 47” but it’s really just an outtro. Man that Police stuff was sure a misleading first impression. I must admit, these guys truly seemed to be talented musicians and gave it their all. I am a bit surprised. I was expecting Simple Minds, but got so much more. It’s an 80s rock parade record. I’ve definitely heard worse than this...

Our Daughter’s Wedding : Moving Windows ( Side 1 )

Our Daughter's Wedding was an American synthpop trio from New York, consisting of Layne Rico on Synare synthesizer, Keith Silva on vocals and keyboards, and Scott Simon on bass-synth and saxophone. The group took their name from a section in a greeting card display. Although their time was brief, it sounds productive although stressful and chaotic. I’ll elaborate. In 1981, they released the internationally successful "Lawnchairs". It did well in the UK. They toured with other bands of the day including U2, Duran Duran, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Iggy Pop, The Psychedelic Furs and frequently appeared on MTV as guest hosts. Fast forward a little and after releasing another EP called "Digital Cowboy", the band released an album in 1982 - Moving Windows. The record had a prescient hip hop sound. But the band found themselves locked in a recording contract and with no record or tour support, the band remained on the road for one year touring the country with The Psychedelic Furs. In 1984, after that tour, the band dissolved. So they did a lot in their short time, but became victims of the industry machine. The band has a pretty unique and distinctive sound for 80s new wave. More club style and akin to OMD and Kraftwerk or Depeche Mode. It’s definitely synth pop though. VERY different from Rush’s moving pictures album. I am almost certain the cover art would have caused some controversy but I couldn’t find anything about it. I d know it was recently reissued by the Futurismo record label in the UK which has done some outstanding work with seminary new wave punk mutant gods, DEVO. One thing is certain. Keyboards rule here and it’s an excellent example of what new wave really is. “Auto Music” begins with lots of 80s noise. Greg Hawkes of The Cars would be proud or possibly jealous. It never lets up from there. Full steam ahead. “She Was Someone” has programmed computer rhythms with hints of Men Without Hats. Those backing harmonies are nice too. “Elevate Her” is a thicker cut of meat. BASSically this one has funky beats and robo-tronic symphonics. Love the double meaning of elevate her and elevator. “Track Me Down” is another rocker that seems like it could be a B Side. “Daddy’s Slave” slows the pace with hints of Talking Heads. It’s almost as if Rick James took over vocal duties for a song? “Longitude 60 degrees” is the final and probably one of my favorite tracks. It mixes styles with Blondie and Wall of Voodoo with even a little Bowie. Math beats make the Devo development decidedly decent. A band that had some real potential for airwave asphyxiation. Some dark elements but mostly succinct and respectfully robotic.

Today we witnessed a battle in 3-D, but no glasses were needed. They burned 127 calories over 20 minutes and 5 songs. That’s an average of 25.40 calories burned per song and 6.35 calories burned per minute. 11 out of 15 possible stars were earned. Our Daughter’s Wedding decided that moving windows would be advantageous. They managed to burn 137 calories over 21 minutes and 6 songs. ODW burned 22.83 calories per song and 6.52 calories per minute. They earned 14 out of 18 possible stars. Our Daughter’s Wedding moved something else too...a trophy to their mantle! ODW wins!

Our Daughter’s Wedding: “Longitude 60”

https://youtu.be/-Dk298DmphQ

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[stevecanmakeanythingnerdy]

Battle #27

Europe: Out of This World ( Side 2 )

Vs.

Circle Jerks: Golden Shower of Hits ( Side 2 )

Europe: Out of This World ( Side 2 )

In addition to being one of the 7 continents, Europe is a Swedish rock band formed in Upplands Väsby in 1979. They started out with the name Force, but soon changed over to Europe. They got a major breakthrough in Sweden in 1982 by winning the televised competition "Rock-SM" (Swedish Rock Championships): it was the first time this competition was held, and Europe became a larger success than the competition itself. I like to think the “sm” stands for Swedish meatballs. Europe rose to international fame in the 1980s with their third album, 1986's The Final Countdown, which has sold over 3 million copies in the United States and 15 million copies worldwide. You know the tune, maybe from the 80s or maybe from the more recent Geico commercial. Either way, you know it and in fact they competed in a past RRW with the album. This is actually the follow up album to the aforementioned. The band is mainly influenced and informed by Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, UFO and the Michael Schenker Group. A heavy pop metal sound would be among the most accurate descriptions. So this album didn’t do as well on the charts as the previous but it did serve up a few minor hits and radio spins. Many probably write them off as a one hit wonder, but all of their output is quite good for the hair metal world. “Sign of the Times” is basically slow radio rock with Screaming leads. Very produced and very 80s.

“Just the Beginning” belts you across your face with some fantastic AOR. It’s a stadium stomper. Another blazing, ballistic bullet. “Never Say Die” is maybe one of the better jams represented here. The keys really drive the song with some blues noodling too. A TRIUMPHant tune (#seewhatididthere). Seems like a movie theme. They did do a movie soundtrack after all. “Lights and Shadows” contains some big chunky riffs of steel. You can actually SEE the hair growing right out of your stereo. The last two cuts are “Tower’s Callin’ ”

And “Tomorrow”. The first is channeling their inner Winger and is maybe a song about Top Gun?? A jet in general at the very least. Air Force influenced. The latter is more emotional with sensitive pianos and ballad basics. Gotta please the record executives I suppose. Sure it’s no “Final Countdown”, but it might as well be outtakes. Their consistency is respectable and they did a fantastic job on all the musical 🎶“oh-oh-ohs”🎶 throughout.

Circle Jerks: Golden Shower of Hits ( Side 2 )

Circle Jerks (sometimes stylized as Ciʀcle JƎʀᴋs) are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California. The group was founded by former Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris and Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson (later of Bad Religion). The band has broken up and re-formed several times, but was pretty active and influential during most of the 80s. Some of their often covered and most iconic tunes are off the previous 2 albums, but this album (their 3rd) is pretty historic in itself and captures the band in their prime in my opinion. As most bands often are they were plagued by constant line up changes, but Morris and his distinctive vocals remained at the helm for the entire existence of the band. The second side starts off with “Coup D’etat”. Considered a French term, it means the overthrow of a government, usually with violence, by a small group. Seems pretty punk rock to me. Basically this song calls for anarchy, so you get it. “Product of my Environment” contains some pulsating percussion at breakneck speeds. Very concussive and indicative of a circle PIT. “Rats of Reality” has some fantastic guitar leads to prove that punks can play too. Keith Morris and his painful moans mean business. “Junk Mail” follows and absolutely no joke, AS this song started during my workout the mail truck pulled up to my mailbox to deliver some mail. Brilliant tune about a mundane subject and who can’t relate!? “Golden Shower of Hits” is the title track as well as the last track, and is a medley of six cover versions (of artists as diverse and unexpected as the Association, the Carpenters, Starlight vocal band, and Tammy Wynette) strung together to create the storyline of two people who fall in love, have an unplanned pregnancy, rush into marriage and end up divorced. Pretty innovative making something new out of something old. 80s punk kings who really delivered. They brought a sense of credibility to “the scene” as they weren’t just meatheads playing 3 chords. There was some real talent buried in there. The6 injected some political issues into the ethos and the rest is history. I was disappointed because there was so much room in the grooves for more music! Also worthy of notice is that photography was done by another legendary artist in his own right, Glen E. Friedman who also shot Fugazi and early Beastie Boys as well as the dogtown skate crew. He’s a personal photography hero of mine. Both are worthy of further investigation if you ask me.

So today it was Europe’s FINEST countdown and they were out of this world. Europe belted Out 6 songs in 24 minutes and burned 157 calories. They averaged 26.17 calories burned per song and 6.54 calories burned per minute while earning 13 out of 18 possible stars. The Circle Jerks unleashed a golden shower of hits and took only 14 minutes to burn 95 calories over 5 songs. They averaged 19.0 calories burned per song and 6.79 calories burned per minute. 12 out of 15 possible stars were earned. They may be Jerks, but the CJs win!

Circle Jerks : “Junk Mail” (I’m certain it’s not the original audio but worth it for the live footage and someone did an A-MAZING sync job)

https://youtu.be/-ZlUgqS9KgA

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[stevecanmakeanythingnerdy]

Battle #26

The Vindictives: The Many Moods of... ( Side D )

Vs.

The Mary Jane Girls: Only Four You ( Side 1 )

The Vindictives: The Many Moods of... ( Side D )

The Vindictives are probably one of the best and most underrated of the 90s pop punk bands to call Chicago home. They began in 1990, after Joey’s first band, Vicktimz of Society called it quits. Their original lineup included Joey Vindictive (vocals), Johnny Personality (bass), Ben Weasel (of Screeching Weasel fame on guitar), Dr. Bob (guitar), and Erik Elsewhere (drums). The band would quickly experience lineup changes and evolve in complexity as well. The band would end up releasing 12 EPs and albums until July 1996, when Joey Vindictive revealed that his health issues would prevent the band from going on. The band DID continue past that but never at the capacity and intensity it had been previously. The distinction between The Vindictives and other pop punk bands of the same cloth is all in the lyrics. Often sexual or paranoia themes (sometimes both!) took center stage. And those amazing and layered harmonies!! No one did it better than The Vindictives. You got a real sense of the frantic-ness though in the music and the production was outstanding. Every song is catchy and holds your attention, making each song just a little different. Something pop punk is not often known for often, embracing the repetitiveness. So this “album” is really one of their only proper ones but it’s more or less a collection of all the aforementioned EPs. “Future Homemakers of America” Starts the party off right. Meaty and punchy with those dripping snotty vocals. Not perfect and that’s OK. It’s part of the energy, and a real slap across the face of suburbia stay at home housewives everywhere. “Spring Valley Shopping Mall” Tell the tale of what sounds like a really bad date. Literally a story in the form of a song. “1 (900) ILU-VYOU” is a dominatrix tune that features those amazing backing vocal harmonies. You could say they DOMINATE (#seewhatididthere) at it. Next up is “Basketcase”-a quickie punker rocket with driving and screaming leads. It’s better than Green Day’s version. Just kidding, totally different songs, but Green Day does serve as a good comparison for production value and tight melodies. Speaking of tight,

“You Know Who You Are” follows suit and punches you in the face. All while bitting and clawing your eyes out. Wound up like a spring and ready to pounce. As if it couldn’t get any faster, “Impatient” flies at you at breakneck speeds. Vindictives are not usually Minor Threat level fast, but skatepunks be damned, these guys mean business! Thrashing lashes to make you gnash your teeth. Probably one of the best songs on this side, and best examples of how the Vindictives stand out is found in “...And The World Isn’t Flat Anymore”. It’s very catchy and sing along style, but still manages to employ one the band’s favorite tricks, vocals in the round. Joey understands how to make one set bleed into the other and it sounds so amazing. More vocal layers than a 7 layer burrito! His raw and unabashed outlook give that darker edge the band uses to their advantage. Ironically these are probably some of the weaker tunes in their arsenal, so just imagine how awesome Sides A-C are! Brilliant!

The Mary Jane Girls: Only Four You ( Side 1 )

The Mary Jane Girls are an American R&B, soul and funk group that gained popularity in the 1980s. They were protégées of singer Rick James. Much like Prince had Shiela E and others, Rick James has his girls too. They are known for their hit songs "In My House", "All Night Long", "Candy Man", and their cover version of "Walk Like a Man". Joanne "Jojo" McDuffie was the lead singer, the others filling out the group's style and appearance. According to the wiki, on the studio recordings, McDuffie was backed by session vocalists rather than the other Mary Jane Girls. The album credits the other members as each singing at least one song though. The Mary Jane Girls released two albums in the 1980s and recorded a third which was shelved for decades but finally released in 2014. They were inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2019. You can practically see the marketing plan-o-gram throughout, but you know what? The songs are fairly catchy. I like the 80s and even though it has distinct Motown and funk influence, there is a decent representation of new wave too. Rock actually wrote and produced all the songs too, so he had his hands all over it. Of course we should address the obvious. The name of the group referenced mary jane, slang for marijuana; a favored recreational drug of James. (James wrote a hit song titled "Mary Jane".) The group's image was styled as containing a street-wise girl (McDuffie), a supermodel (Ghant), a cheerleader/valley girl (Wells, then Marine), and a dominatrix (Wuletich). This is their second album and has the biggest hit, which starts off the whole thing. “In My House” has a VERY Rick James start with that keyboard intro, then drop the funky bass. These are 4 ladies that know the 80s. If disco were just watered down new wave, ala Lipps Inc., then I’d be ok with it. That’s pretty much what we have here. “Break it Up” is another funky dance club hit parade. Revolving Supremes-like vocals that keep your interest. The next 30 seconds are an interlude to the song “Shadow Lover” but they bothered to list it as a separate track, so...? It’s a saxophone meets piano warm up really, into the actual action. A slow bedroom jam that might make Luther Vandross jealous. The last track (only 4 you I guess #seewhatididthere ) is next. It’s called “Lonely for You” and the play on the album title is not lost on me. This one is back to the rockin’ beats. Mellow and melody. The underlying keyboard is fantastic on this cut. It’s a new wave version of En Vogue or a disco version on The Supremes. Either way, nice. I hope they didn’t have to do anything freaky to get their deal...(#seewhatididthere)

So today we saw the many moods of The Vindictives in full regalia. They took 16 minutes to burn 101 calories over 7 songs. That is 14.43 calories burned per song and 6.31 calories burned per minute. The Vindictives earned 18 out of 21 possible stars. The Mary Jane Girls did it only four you. They took 19 minutes to burn 116 calories over 4 songs. That’s an average of 29.p calories burned per song and 6.11 calories burned per minute. The MJG earned 8 out of 12 possible stars. Looks like The Vindictives will be in a haploid because they won today’s challenge!

The Vindictives : “You Know Who You Are”

https://youtu.be/RpT7OGsUzWo

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[stevecanmakeanythingnerdy]

Battle #25

Reatards: Grown Up, Fucked Up ( Side B )

Vs.

The Jam: All Mod Cons ( Side 2 )

Reatards: Grown Up, Fucked Up ( Side B )

The Reatards were an American garage punk band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1995. Originally a one-man project by guitarist Jay Reatard, the group's sound was marked by raw, stripped-down instrumentals and lo-fi recording quality. After distributing privately pressed cassettes and EPs, the band released their debut album Teenage Hate in 1998. It was followed by this album, Grown Up, Fucked Up a year later. By that time, the group only sporadically performed as Reatard began exploring other endeavors, but in 2005 he reformed the band for their third and final studio album. Much of the Reatards' discography remains a subject of interest, leading to reissues of their work years later. Jay unabashedly credits The Oblivians as a source of inspiration for their style of crude, distorted, lo-fi garage sound. Reatard was so enamoured with the Oblivians' music, he sent their guitarist Eric Friedl some of his home recordings hon which he did everything...guitar, vocals and drumming on a bucket. How’s THAT for DIY!?). It was impressing enough to Friedl to arrange a record deal on his independent label, Goner Records. Relatively short lived as they were, though, The Reatards put out some raw, high energy, REAL MUSIC. You can hear it in the chaos. Just as quickly as the6 formed, Jay went on to other things. Unfortunately he unexpectedly died in 2010. It seems he had died of "cocaine toxicity, and that alcohol was a contributing factor in his death. Sad because after he s time with a The Reatards, he went on to do quite a few things and become a pretty prolific musician in his own right. But this, this is his humble (?) beginnings. Keep in mind practically no song is over about 2 minutes. Every bit of it intense and from the perspective of a fresh faced teenager. First song Side B is “Tonight I’ll Come”. It’s tha5 fast nasty lo-fi you love. Born in the garage and surprisingly channeled and clear, consideration given t the aforementioned recording techniques. The next jab, “Get Outta Our Way”, is decidedly more rock ‘n’ roll than punk. “Who Are You” is another quick fix while “All the Walls Are Closing in” sees a desperation and violent undertones take hold. DT shakes level intensity. “Miss You” is pretty Stooges in nature...just raw power (#seewhatididthere). “Eat Your Heart Out” follows and you can really hear the young essence in Jay’s voice here. It’s a banger that lingers though. This kid did his homework. “I Want Sex” is of course on the mind of any teenage boy but it’s a cover not an original. Meh. I like the originals better. They don’t need to do covers and the6 certainly had the material!! “I’m Gonna Break Down” is very indicative of what this music sounds like. It could break down at any moment. Now, we’ve reached the bonus tracks and an obviously different recording session. That’s the only drawback of this style. You can almost never recapture the EXACT SOUND from any previous sessions because it’s so so happenstance. “Your So Lewd” (note, it IS misspelled ) and “She Will Always Be With Me” have a nasty, distorted vibe while the final cut “Busy Signal” has more garage slop grace and goodness. It’s quick licks with sick fits. His vocals are so young and raw. Recalling Teengenerate and The Motards or X-Ray Specs. 11 songs PER SIDE!! That’s a whole album or set list for most bands! This may be a new RRW RECORD (#seewhatididthere). R. I. P. Jay.

The Jam: All Mod Cons ( Side 2 )

The Jam have been RRW contenders before and went quite far. They were an English mod revival/punk rock band during the 1970s and early 1980s, which formed in 1972 at Sheerwater Secondary School in Woking, in the county of Surrey. They get lumped in with punk a lot but really blur the line between power pop and punk with blues riffs thrown in for good measure. They also drew off the energy of bands like The Who and The Kinks for that mod sound. At the helm was Paul Weller, the heartbeat of The Jam. He went on to form The Style Council and later had a successful solo career, of which he still enjoys. Weller wrote and sang most of the Jam's original compositions, and brought that distinct snotty, throaty, often gruff, and decidedly British sounding vocals. A great example is his pronunciation of the word flowers as flars. Though they shared an "angry young men" outlook, short hair, crushing volume and lightning-fast tempos, the Jam wore neatly tailored suits where others wore ripped clothes, played professionally where others were defiantly amateurish, and displayed clear 1960s rock influences. The Jam had political lyrics, condemning police brutality ("In the City") and expansionist development ("Bricks And Mortar"). Even condemning the monarchy, pre Sex Pistols. By only about 6 months though. All Mod Cons in specific was after the initial success and had put some pressure on the band to maintain. They released a few singles first which appear on the album but the album only came after positive reactions to the singles. “Billy Hunt” has something unique in the pronunciations. I love the way his name is said “Billy, Billy, Biiiiilll-eeeee”.

“It’s too Bad” has a lovely wandering bass line that has a warm, relaxing, inviting personality. Too bad it’s so short. “Fly” contains soft and slow acoustic introductions. It builds, like a baby bird learning to flap its wings until the point of flight. I suppose that’s the point. Some good, rockin’ guitar picking and slick riffs show up in “The Place I Love”. But this side really kicks in on the next two tunes. “ 'A' Bomb in Wardour Street" was a Weller original. And one of their hardest and most intense songs, as well as the aforementioned singles. Weller cursed the violent thugs that plagued the punk rock scene over a taut two-chord figure. It became their most successful release since ”All Around The World”. The cowbell is surprisingly catchy and is one of the more rocking tunes, and of course there is a bomb exploding at the end so literal truth in advertising. “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight” was the second single and helped The Jam really regain their former critical acclaim. The song was a dramatic account of being mugged by thugs who "smelled of pubs and Wormwood Scrubs and too many right-wing meetings". Rich and textured bass really drives the whole thing. Good harmonies with thundering drums. A train interrupts the tune so as to give it a realistic feeling. Like the Clash but cleaner and snappier dressers.

Today it was The Reatards who were grown up, but fucked up in the process. They burned 107 calories over 17 minutes and 11 songs. That is 9.73 calories per song and 6.29 calories burned per minute. The Reatards earned 26 out of 33 possible stars. The Jam put out the call for all Mod Cons. They took 20 minutes to burn 128 calories over 6 songs. They averaged 21.33 calories burned per song and 6.40 calories per minute. The Jam earned 14 out of 18 possible stars. Today it appears The Jam are RRW winners!

The Jam: “ ‘A’ Bomb in Wardour Street” (live, baby!)

https://youtu.be/9T9bqQh-gFI

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[stevecanmakeanythingnerdy]

Battle #24

Pond: S/T ( Side 1 )

Vs.

Alan Parsons Project : Eye in the Sky ( Side One )

Pond: S/T ( Side 1 )

Pond was a band from Portland, Oregon. They formed in 1991 and broke up in 1998. They were signed to the infamous Sub Pop records for their first two albums, and the Work Group records (a sub-label of Sony Records) for their last album. Sub Pop in those days, and Seattle in general, was largely known for one thing. Grunge. Here’s the thing though...Pond technically falls in between those cracks. Their songs have so much more texture and melody and I feel they really were very different, both musically and lyrically. They were...different. Even in a genre that defines itself as different. No, I feel like Pond was really an uncredited steppingstone to bigger things for Sub Pop, branching out and showing diversity. Unfortunately for Pond I feel like they got lost in the shuffle because they are a SEVERELY underrated band. They were only a three piece yet sounded like much much more. I credit a large part of that to Chris Brady’s very bass driven harmonies (he played lots of chords) complimented by the rich and full drumming of David Triebwasser and surrounded by Charlie Campbell’s distinguishing guitar, almost like second vocals. In fact those vocals (again Chris) were unique in and of themselves. Just raspy enough to sound Nirvana-esque but still their own thing. Yes, this album is a masterpiece in my opinion. There is not a bad tune on it. Oh, and I love that there is a Masters of the Universe Whiplash figure buried in the jumble of toys, etc on the cover. This three piece was well suited together but was, as most good bands are, short lived. They went on to form other projects, most notably Brady’s Audio Learning Center (featuring a member of another great and more obscure Sub Pop band, Sprinkler), which has some pretty great songsmith ingredients as well. So Pond really should be more talked about than they are, which is why I am talking them up so much. “Young Splendor” begins the brilliance of this album. Haunting jaunts and darts on the guitar and layers of mesmerizing lyrical lines. It’s pure gold and poetry drenched in guitar feedback that’s perfectly placed. Speaking of perfect...”Perfect Four” is the next song and is just another example of the tight arrangements and talent level of the three piece. “Gone” has those brick heavy sludge moments mixed with the softer sides of emo. Metallic elements mixed with alternative rock. Man I used to hate that term, it was so overused, but it is actually very accurate here. Rock, but in an alternative way. Next is their single off the album, “Agatha”. There’s an interesting video for this one, and some creepy ass cello! Wait what? Just kidding, it’s actually the bass guitar, played like a cello with a bow! How often do you get that in a rock song?! It’s a cool, and indicative feature of this band. Thinking (and rocking) outside of the box. Neat and subtle tricks like the one vocal sung in monotone while the compliment vocal is all higher harmonies. Check it out for yourself, it’s pretty wicked. Lastly is the slow and churning “Tree”. It still has triumphant riffs and tells a little story. This band is so unique. Slow and grooving and locked in. The complex arrangements are just so well thought out it’s practically criminal. The album is a spectacular debut and one of my all time favorite Sub Pop releases. Of course it’s on murky pond scum green wax. Get it if you can find one, you won’t be disappointed. Pond is definitely more than the boring pool of stagnation that their namesake suggests.

Alan Parsons Project : Eye in the Sky ( Side One )

So who is this Alan guy anyway? Well, I am glad you asked so I could look it up because I don’t really know. He was an audio engineer and producer but als9 wrote his own music. One time Alan met Eric Woolfson. Woolfson was also a composer, a pianist, and a singer. So naturally the two of them decided to form a project. I guess they decided to put Alan’s name on it. Almost all the songs on the Project's albums are credited to "Woolfson/Parsons". So then, The Alan Parsons Project were a British rock band active between 1975 and 1990, whose core membership consisted of Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. They were accompanied by a varying number of session musicians and some relatively consistent band members. It more or less these two formed a band so to speak. So yeah, the producer basically formed his own band...kind of like how a movie director inserts himself into a scene in the movie. The band's sound is described as progressive rock, art rock, progressive pop, and soft rock. So take your pick I guess. “Sirius" is the first track and is their best-known and most-frequently heard of all Parsons/Woolfson songs. Stadium rock via a symphonic synthesizer serenade. It was used as entrance music by various American sports teams, most notably by the Chicago Bulls during their 1990s NBA dynasty. No REALLY. It was also used as the entrance theme for Ricky Steamboat in pro wrestling of the mid-1980s. So most likely you’ve heard it before. I recognized it instantly. But more brilliantly than that it fades directly and perfectly into their radio hit “Eye in the Sky”. The song is calming and serene. I can remember thinking that as a child when I heard it. It’s just...peaceful. I think it’s the softly sung vocals. It’s on my optical jams playlist, too. (#seewhatididthere) “Children of the Moon” follows with it’s slight yacht rock/dentist office vibe. Lighter fanfare for sure but there are elements of rock as well. It too fades and blends into “Gemini” which is essentially instrumental which in turn fades into “Silence and I”. The whole album reads like a musical or movement of a classical nature. It’s a synthetic symphony. The latter is a building song that crescendos. I’m sure a purposeful contradiction to the descriptions of silence. This one has a Hotel California/Eagles vibe. I do like The astrological, Star and Egyptian theme as well. A nice contrast with some striking similarities for today’s matchup! A very orchestrated and arranged matchup with an unofficial “green” theme as well. Let’s see how it all played out.

Pond is certainly more than just a stagnant pool of water, they are a pool of talented musicians! They managed to burn 150 calories over 5 songs and 23 minutes. They averaged 30.0 calories burned per song and 6.523 calories burned per minute. Yeah, it was THAT close...we had to go to the thousandth!! Pond earned 13 out of 15 possible stars. Alan Parsons had his eyes on the skies. He and his project burned 137 calories over 21 minutes and 5 songs. They averaged 27.40 calories burned per song and 6.524 calories burned per minute! Earning them 9 out of 15 possible stars. Looking only at the numbers...literally down to the thousandths, Alan Parsons Project wins. In my personal opinion Pond was shafted but I play no bias. The numbers don’t lie.

Alan Parsons Project : “Sirius/Eye in the Sky”. Live so you get both...they’re a companion piece after all.

https://youtu.be/pwEqUy99qkg

Also, Pond’s “Agatha” because...come on! Those numbers were soooo close!!

https://youtu.be/5xzRUFGesRA

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[stevecanmakeanythingnerdy]

Battle #23

Gaunt: Kryptonite ( Side Gene )

Vs.

The Wipers: Youth of America ( Side One )

Gaunt: Kryptonite ( Side Gene )

Gaunt was a pop punk band formed in Columbus, Ohio, in 1991. The band released five albums and a crap ton of singles before splitting in 1998. Actually 5 albums is a bit of a stretch. Sob Story is really more of an extended EP and clocks in Around 20 minutes, but anyway... yeah the 90s Ohio scene was pretty rock and punk and roll. But at the top of that list was New Bomb Turks and these guys. Really almost compliments to each other. NBT was down and dirty, and Gaunt filled in for the poppier and peppier parts. In fact in the earliest days, they shared members with NBT, but it was short lived. They bounced around a few independent labels and one last album was recorded for Thrill Jockey, entitled Kryptonite, and released in 1996. Kryptonite was released with a metallic lime green cover and contained lyrics about Superman, Lois Lane, and lost love. Over the course of the next year, the band began to drift apart, with Wick recording solo material. The band managed to scrape together one more album for record giant Warner Bros when they came sniffing around after Green Day had made it evident that punk rock sells, but they broke up soon after due to little to no support of it. So in the grand scheme of things, their time was brief, but powerful. And in true punk rock fashion, I don’t think the band really gave a crap about any of it. They just played music and had fun. Unfortunately in 2001, lead singer Jerry Wick was hit and killed by a car while bicycling home. It’s sad too, because he was a great songwriter. “Kryptonite” is the lead tune of course. Blast off into the rock and roll Metropolis of garage punk rock and roll. The very thing that made this band cool is that they weren’t afraid to try different things. This one features piano. “Savior Breath” is not only a great pun but another great song as well. That catchy 3 chord stuff lo-fi blast off! Hell yeah! Certainly not gaunt on the rock (#seewhatididthere). “Hope You’re Happy “ is about as punk rock as you can expect to get. This is what it would sound like if NBT did less yelling and sang more harmonies. Horns and $#!t on this number, again utilizing some new tricks with the old. Not immune to the catchy AF pop punk vibe that Green Day had a stranglehold on in the mid 90s comes “Transistor Sister”. It’s a no brainer but a head banger too. There’s even a video for it! “Bust” follows with the breakneck speedy Gonzalez “bust you in your head!” It’s perfectly placed pauses and fuzzed out guitar will leave you wanting more. The last fast track is “Hand in Pants”. Gaunt never lets up and the backing harmonies prevail. This band had something special. They were a band you could respect. Quick, catchy and no frills. Serious but fun all at once. Hook laden and made to order madness. This and Bricks and Blackouts may be one of their most experimental albums. It’s damn good though. R. I. P. Gaunt. Oh! And Of course there’s a “side Gene”. You have to get a Kiss reference in. (The other side is Paul, duh)

The Wipers: Youth of America ( Side One )

Technically just Wipers, but “The” is often attached. Wipers was a punk rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1977 by guitarist Greg Sage, along with drummer Sam Henry and bassist Dave Koupal. The group's tight song structure and use of heavy distortion were hailed as extremely influential by numerous critics and musicians. The band is considered the first Pacific Northwest punk band. Possibly most famous for being both influential to and covered by Nirvana. Greg was interested in music at an early age and has a rather unique perspective on music. His father worked in the broadcast industry so he had access at an early age to a record lathe. He would often study music under the microscope and loved the way it was produced from the record. This gave him a very deep understanding of the way the sound was reproduced. That and Hendrix inspired him to pick up a guitar and the rest is history. Originally they formed just as a recording project. The plan was to record 15 albums in 10 years without touring or promotion. Sage thought that the mystique built from the lack of playing traditional rock 'n' roll would make people listen to their recordings much deeper with only their imagination to go by. He thought it would be easy to avoid press, shows, pictures and interviews. He looked at music as art rather than entertainment; he thought music was personal to the listener rather than a commodity. He is not wrong, but soon shows and touring did happen. Sage has been quoted and remarked on their initial reception: "We weren't even really a punk band. See, we were even farther out in left field than the punk movement because we didn't even wish to be classified, and that was kind of a new territory. ... When we put out Is This Real? ... it definitely did not fit in; none of our records did. Then nine, ten years later people are saying: 'Yeah, it's the punk classic of the '80s'". So this is their second album, and it’s a reaction to the quick short burst of songs all the punk bands were doing in the early 80s. In fact the title track is nearly 10 minutes long! But that’s on the other side. This side contains “Taking too Long” which has highly advanced guitar for a 2nd LP. It’s a serene and peaceful song. Not the BEST Wipers song but still pleasing. “Can This Be” is more the rocking style Wipers fans are used to. Punk elements but wrapped in rock with those fuzz crunch guitars the6 helped stylize. Like a grunge burrito! The dropout bridge and energy are worth the listen alone. For me, the best tune on this side has got to be “Pushing The Extreme”. The Wipers are good at that “haunted melody” sound. You know, kind of creepy sounding but low frequency and underscored by punching bass lines. Accentuated really. I also like the weird phrasing of the word Extreme, it’s partly why Wipers stand out so much. A very loooooooong song though. “When it’s Over” sees Sage showcasing his guitar prowess. Very surfy (another signature of the Wipers sound) and with all of the builds it’s a pretty great piece. Some spoken word but it’s essentially instrumental. These early records have a great cohesion and consistency in their cyclical riffs. Not bad for one of the Northwest’s most influential acts and precursors to the “Seattle sound”.

So it was a real epic battle today of old vs new punk. Well, I guess they’re both old. More like old vs really old? Anyway. Gaunt had a secret weapon on hand, Kryptonite...but will it weaken The Wipers? Gaunt burned 99 calories over 15 minutes and 6 songs. They averaged 16.50 calories burned per song and 6.60 calories burned per minute. They earned 15 out of 18 possible stars. The Wipers tried to engage the youth of America. The Wipers burned 105 calories over 4 songs and 16 minutes. They averaged 26.25 calories burned per song and 6.56 calories burned per minute. They earned 10 out of 12 possible stars. Looks like Gaunt’s Kryptonite worked! They walk away champs today!

Gaunt: “Transistor Sister” (sorry for the piss poor quality but it was the 90s)

https://youtu.be/T7GTSYz1Bmw

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Battle #22

Billy Thorpe: Children of the Sun ( Side 1 )

Vs.

The Tubes: S/T ( Side 1 )

Billy Thorpe: Children of the Sun ( Side 1 )

Billy Thorpe, was an English-born Australian singer-songwriter, producer, and musician. As lead singer of his band Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, he had success in the 1960s with "Blue Day", "Poison Ivy", "Over the Rainbow", "Sick and Tired", "Baby, Hold Me Close" and "Mashed Potato"; and in the 1970s with "Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy". In the early 1970s, the Aztecs also helped developed the pub rock scene and were one of the loudest groups in Australia. Thorpe also performed as a solo artist and he relocated to the United States from 1976 to 1996 where he released this album which is a space opera called Children of the Sun. He worked with ex-Aztec Tony Barber to form a soft toy company in 1987 and co-wrote stories for The Puggle Tales and Tales from the Lost Forests. Thorpe also worked as a producer and composed music scores for TV series including War of the Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Columbo, Eight Is Enough and Hard Time on Planet Earth. Basically this guy did a lot of stuff you know but you didn’t know him. So as previously mentioned this is a space opera!! How awesome is that?! So it’s pretty well themed, as you may have figured out by now. “Wrapped in the Chains of your Love” is the starting line. Big rock and big harmony with a Blue Oyster Cult vibe. I assume there is an actual stage act that compliments this, but what’s amazing is it works without one. In fact, I sensed a theme, but didn’t even KNOW about the space opera until I read up on this album after the fact.

“Dream-Maker” is next and very compressed. Full band and rock methods be damned, this guy is super serious. I am not 100% certain as there are no printed lyrics but I thought I heard the words “fish stick serenade” sung. Either way, new band name!! Calling it!! “Simple Life” has a slower, more mellow, Joe Cocker vibe. Recalling a very gospel type of style. I know it’s a new song, but “Goddess of the Night” sounds eerily similar. Like hard to distinguish if you’re not paying attention. This one goes the extra mile on vocals. It’s worth it for that alone. Reminds me of an artist called Doucette. Ironically I wrote down the words “space rock opera”. I actually came across this in a lot of records acquired at an auction. I kept it because it looked wild. I mean, just check out that Boston-esque cover! The hair! Speaking of that, dude has a STYLIST listed on the back cover. Huh? LOL, that’s a thing??! Anyway it is well produced and recorded. Definitely AOR all around. Sounds like he lived a pretty amazing life, but unfortunately he passed away in 2007.

The Tubes: S/T ( Side 1 )

The Tubes are a San Francisco-based rock band. Their eponymous 1975 debut album included the single "White Punks on Dope," while their 1983 single "She's a Beauty" was a top-10 U.S. hit and its music video was frequently played in the early days of MTV. The band also performed in the 1980 film Xanadu, singing the rock portion of the cross-genre song "Dancin'" opposite a big band. Satirical, artistic, avant-garde and eye catching are just a few of the adjectives you could and should use to describe this band. They use costumes, themes, bizarreness and boldness to give their live show a kick in the pants. Odd time signatures and unique arrangements take precedent in The Tubes catalog. So much so that you’d think they were European! Live they were basically SNL incorporating comedy and props. So this is their eponymous debut. Song one, side one is “Up from the Deep”-a weird space-like ... almost opera...start. A funny promotional type thing. It’s a slower nag about the band covering many styles. It’s ambitious to say the least. A show opener for sure. Goes right into “Haloes”. So seamless I didn’t even notice the transition. Similar sounds too. “Space Baby” is a slower jam. 70s rock, like Pink Floyd meets Hendrix jam moments. Almost Queen-like. It’s a pretty decent number. The next one is an odd choice. “Malagueña Salerosa” is a famous Huapango song from Mexico, which has been covered more than 200 times by recording artists, this being one of them. The song is the tale of a man telling a woman (from Málaga, Spain) how beautiful she is, and how he would love to be her man, but that he understands her rejecting him for being too poor. It definitely sufficiently shows the band has range though. Tango/salsa? How many rock bands do that?!!? Falsetto vocals with baritone too. Just weird to be weird I suppose. Very complex works for a debut! This particular battle proves how Randomrecordworkout is truly random. It all boils down to math on this one. So let’s look at the numbers.

Today Billy Thorpe taught his children of the Sun. It burns bright, but you know what else burns? Calories! And Billy burned 112 of them over 4 songs and 18 minutes. That’s 28.0 calories burned per song and 6.22 calories burned per minute. Old Billy managed to earn 9 out of 12 possible stars as well. The Tubes came straight out of a San Francisco neighborhood with more ups and downs than the famous streets the city is known for. They burned 119 calories over 4 songs and 18 minutes as well. See? I told you it was close! The Tubes burned 29.75 calories per song and 6.61 calories per minute. They also earned 9 out of 12 possible stars, but by fractions they burned more calories and are today’s winner!

The Tubes: “Malagueña Salerosa”

https://youtu.be/Y24heJeXI_U

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Battle #21

Arcadia: So Red The Rose ( Side One )

Vs.

Roxy Epoxy and The Rebound: Band-Aids On Bulletholes ( Side Two )

Arcadia: So Red The Rose ( Side One )

Arcadia were a new wave British group formed in 1985 by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran as a side project during a break in that band's schedule. The project was only active during 1985 and 1986 for just one album, So Red the Rose, which was certified Platinum in the United States and included a number of charting singles. Arcadia is not the only Duran squared spin-off. The Power Station also falls into that category and also had hits. So any doubt of Duran Duran’s hit making ability (not that there should be any) can suck a D...uran. Simon Le Bon himself described So Red the Rose as "the most pretentious album ever made," while AllMusic called it "the best album Duran Duran never made". I must say that I have to agree wholeheartedly with the latter. To say that this album in ANY WAY sounds different than Duran Duran would just be lying to yourself. I mean, they didn’t even try to be different. It did have some big scoring hits though, such as the lead off batter “Election Day”. I am sure you would recognize it dips you heard it, and it is an election year so...maybe it’ll make a comeback. All the candidates are like this song, right? ‘85? (#seewhatididthere). The 80s rock continues with “Keep me in the Dark” which was another charting single although not quite as high. With “Goodbye is Forever” it is especially hard to escape the Duran comparison. Le Bon’s voice is just so recognizable and present. Honestly the comparison is NOT a slam in any way. It’s maybe the highest compliment actually. Mid tempo rocker and these tunes are all good.

“The Flame”is essentially as the Duranx2 song “View to a Kill” from the bond movie went rogue and formed its own band. Their SONGS are doing spin off bands!!?!?! I keep waiting for them to announce at the end of the song that they actually are D-squared and this has all been a joke. “Missing” is the final track and contains the quiet solitude and meditation moments of zen. A good slow down, but still true to the du-roots du-roots and it’s aaaaaa looooooooooonnnnnngggg ssssoooonnnnnnnggggg. Actually this is the most diverse they have been from the former. As in straight up rock band and less new wave. The guest stars on this album is pretty phenomenal too. It reads like a who’s who of 1985. Herbie Hancock, David Gilmore (Pink Floyd), Sting... but yeah this is the lost Duran Duran album for sure. It’s actually the very reason I own it.

Roxy Epoxy and The Rebound: Band-Aids On Bulletholes ( Side Two )

Roxy Epoxy, the soul and front woman of this band is often associated with such fierce and striking artists as Karen O, Siouxsie Sioux, and Chrissie Hynde. Roxy Epoxy made a lasting impact on the punk and indie community in her former band, The Epoxies. At the end of 2007, the Epoxies decided to call it quits, but Roxy wasn’t finished yet. She decided to pull her own songs out of hiding and start fresh. She began writing new songs and found some talented musicians to follow her into the studio. The result was Roxy Epoxy and The Rebound. Now, freshly rejuvenated and ready to tackle the music industry with both fists and a great set of pipes, Roxy embarked on the next chapter of her musical career with her newly-minted band. Whereas The Epoxies focus was often on androids and science fiction themes, this new band was really just an extension in sound and style, but lyrically more challenging and based in traditional themes. Don’t mistake that as bad. They are just more cohesive songs that speak of dark subjects and more mature things. It’s basically a new wave power pop rock band and they are amazing! Unfortunately this and a solo EP by Roxy are really all that exist. This band is now considered defunct as well. But what an amazing output for the one album!! “Svengali” starts it. It’s a reference to the fictional character who tricks and exploits a young girl. The word "svengali" has come to refer to a person who, with evil intent, dominates, manipulates and controls another. Not sure if there are implications outside of the song, but it’s a rocker! New wavier than a lays potato chip and just as delicious!! And this rocker is on Side two! “Fun” has those punky new wave keys please! Roxy has a voxy range that’s nearly unbeatable! “Lola’s Vision” sides more on the indie rock status symbol and has the tick tick of a clock, slower in stature but subtle in subject. “The Spider and the Leach” May well be the most memorable song, if only for the story it tells. Has that wonderful eerie sound and really helps define the difference between the former Epoxies and the current events. Metropolis anyone? Intricate keys and melodies, all over monotone vocals that are perfectly suited to the task. It’s a great juxtaposition on the story time vivid lyrics happening. “Unnamed” is a straight up punkity punk punk rocket. Discordant and dangerous. Lastly, “Watch Me” has those meaty beats to crush your skull and is anti-authoritarian. Overall this record is equally dystopian and Bauhaus as it is poppy and Flock of Seagulls. Again, the key difference is the depth and song-smithing. If Missing Persons were just a straight up punk band...or the movie Blade Runner decided to write music.

Sidebar: I know the title of this whole thing I do is RANDOM record workout, but sometimes there exists some similarities and cohesion in the matchups. For example, possibly the band’s share a member or something as simple as each band plays “7 songs” or whatever. It could be related artwork or any number of things, but there becomes this weird theme developed. Today, the theme was side projects in a sense. I just find it amusing. That is all.

So today it was Arcadia with their roses so red who tried to out Duran themselves. They burned 147 calories over 22 minutes and 5 songs. They averaged 29.40 calories burned per song and 6.68 calories burned per minute. They earned 11 out of 15 possible stars. Roxy Epoxy was on the rebound and put band-aids on her bullet holes. They played for 18 minutes and managed to burn 122 calories over 6 songs. That is an average of 20.33 calories burned per song and 6.78 calories burned per minute. They earned 15 out of 18 possible stars. They may be on the rebound but Roxy Epoxy and Company take the crown today!

Roxy Epoxy and the Rebound : “Unnamed”

https://youtu.be/UgZBH1Ub0OA

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[stevecanmakeanythingnerdy]

Battle #20

Kraftwerk : The Man Machine ( Side A )

Vs.

Wilson Pickett: The Midnight Mover ( Side 1 )

Kraftwerk : The Man Machine ( Side A )

Kraftwerk (German that literally translates to "power station") is a (duh) German band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. They are widely considered as innovators and pioneers of electronic music, and they were among some of the first successful acts to popularize the genre. The group began as part of West Germany's experimental scene known as krautrock in the early 1970s before fully embracing electronic instrumentation, including synthesizers, drum machines, and vocoders. Essentially they are Germany’s Devo, but before Devo began. Themes often center around computers and science. So basically it’s amazing. Kraftwerk started out with traditional instruments like guitar and drums with flutes, etc, but eventually developed a self-described "robot pop" style. It combined electronic music with pop melodies, sparse arrangements, and repetitive rhythms, while adopting a stylized image that included matching suits. (See the Devo yet?). In May 1978 Kraftwerk released The Man-Machine . The cover of the album is produced in black, white and red, and was inspired by Russian artist El Lissitzky and the Suprematism movement. Gunther Frohling photographed the group for the cover, and it’s now an iconic image which features the quartet dressed in red shirts and black ties. Kraftwerk is largely responsible for 1980s synthpop groups such as Gary Numan, Ultravox, Human League, Depeche Mode, Visage, and Soft Cell. Bands like Joy Division and New Order claim them as a huge influence. Kraftwerk would also go on to influence other forms of music such as hip hop, house, and drum and bass, and are also regarded as pioneers of the electro genre. So yeah, they’re KIND OF A BIG DEAL. so this “album” (its really more of a mini-album at only 6 songs) is a career defining moment for them. The first song is “The Robots”. As you may have inferred from the title, It’s quite robotic. It is synth driven German efficiency. As you can also imagine having only 6 songs makes the songs longer and droning. Though innovation and technological advances prevail, the robo vocals are pretty sweet. “Spacelab” is a floating melody and I can completely imagine sitting in an observatory and looking up at the “stars”. They were certainly exploring new territory with the synth and vocoder. This one might as well be an instrumental with barely any vocals. It’s like they take a concept and write a song and melody around it. They’re like song scientists. “Metropolis” is the final song you get. Essentially a blending of the two previous offerings. A dystopian soundtrack that has alternating keys, a lead and fill. Layers and layers that build to glorious proportions. I can only imagine they would be quite a sight to see live. I can’t stand how pleasing the cover is. Very artistic but perfect and propaganda all at once. Yes, these guys had it figured out loooooong before anyone else. I live for individuality like this, so unique and nothing you can do about it, but listen in amazement and be jealous.

Wilson Pickett: The Midnight Mover ( Side 1 )

Pickett was born in Prattville, Alabama, and first polished his singing skills in Baptist church choirs, and on the streets of Detroit. He found influence through recording stars such as Little Richard. He formed gospel groups at first, but eventually sent a tape to Atlantic Records, who ironically gave the song away. It was disheartening of course but he kept on and eventually came up with another hit. Pickett's breakthrough came at Stax Records' studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where he recorded his third Atlantic single, "In the Midnight Hour". The MGs (of Booker T. & the... fame. You may remember them from a few workouts back earlier this season) were the studio musicians. Small world. He had more hits in the following years, but unfortunately,most of his success was early in his career and led to later problems with drugs and alcohol. This record held some hits as well. Among them, the lead off single “I’m a Midnight Mover”. You know it has to be good if he named the album after it, right? Bluesy and groovy enough to make you say FUNK yeah! Of course is IS similar to “Midnight Hour” in both sound and title but you won’t care. It’s a pretty great tune. That Motown sound with gang vocals. “It’s a Groove” is just that, a groove that gets you moving. We’re talking Marvin Gaye level of soul. Smooth and oodles of noodles on the guitar. Next up might be my favorite track on the album “Remember!I been good to you”. YES on the guitar Mr. Hendrix junior!! Stellar! The raspy and smoking vocals just contribute on so many levels, and the riffs compliment the music. “I’m Gonna Cry” is another Motown level banger. A quick one too. I may cry when it’s over. “Deborah” is the last track (it’s a cover) and makes me think that she could be the reason this album was made. The bravado in the vocals is great! It’s slow to burn, but in Italiano! It’s rockin’ and you feel it! Diverse and pulsating are just a few words that describe this man. There is a fair amount of hype on the back of the jacket (as is often the case for most records of this time period) but this time it is 100% accuracy. Any one of these songs are hits in their own right, even the covers which he really makes his own just by adding those unique and distinctive vocals.

So today Kraftwerk made a man out of machine...or maybe it was the other way around...but either way they were technically proficient while doing so. They burned 115 calories over 3 songs and 18 minutes. That’s an average of 38.33 calories burned per song and 6.39 calories burned per minute. Kraftwerk earned 7 out of 9 possible stars. Wilson Picketted to be a Midnight Mover, and he sure moved some calories! In 14 minutes he burned 91 calories over 5 songs. That’s 18.20 calories burned per song and 6.50 calories burned per minute. Wilson earned 12 out of 15 possible stars. Seems that the protests paid off, as Wilson walks away today’s RRW champion!!

Wilson Pickett: “I’m a Midnight Mover”

https://youtu.be/422G-2yUw-I

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Battle #19

Moby Grape: S/T ( Side 2 )

Vs.

Buffalo Springfield: Buffalo Springfield ( 1973 2xLP comp ) (Side Three )

Moby Grape: S/T ( Side 2 )

Moby Grape is an American rock group from the 1960s, known for having all five members contribute to singing and songwriting,[5] which collectively merged elements of folk music, blues, country, and jazz with rock and psychedelic music. They were one of the few groups of which all members were lead vocalists. The group continues to perform occasionally. From the band’s wiki: Moby Grape's success was significantly impeded by decades-long legal disputes with their former manager, Matthew Katz. Legal difficulties originated shortly after the group's formation, when Katz insisted that an additional provision be added to his management contract, giving him ownership of the group name. At the time, various group members were indebted to Katz, who had been paying for apartments and various living costs prior to the release of the group's first album. Despite objecting, group members signed, based in part on the impression that there would be no further financial support from Katz unless they did so. Neil Young, then of Buffalo Springfield, and ironically part of today’s competition, was in the room at the time. He kept his head down, playing his guitar, and saying nothing. According to Peter Lewis, "I think Neil knew, even then, that this was the end. We had bought into this process that we should have known better than to buy into." Part of what made the band unique was the multiple songwriters and having three guitars. While Jerry Miller was the principal lead guitarist, all three guitarists played lead at various points, often playing off against each other, in a guitar form associated with Moby Grape as "crosstalk". It makes for some really great and valid guitar collage that becomes almost an art form. Again, ironically, the other major three-guitar band at the time...was Buffalo Springfield. The band name came from the punch line of the joke "What's big and purple and lives in the ocean?". I’m sure it seemed funny at the time. The first song is entitled “Someday”. It is very Kinks sounding in nature. You really get the sense of harmony. “Ain’t No Use” is next. There’s that finger picking goodness, blues grass style. Yes this band was pretty unique sounding. Think “Get Together” by The Youngbloods.

“Sitting By The Window” follows and is a great activity to partake in on a rainy day, or while self quarantining during a worldwide pandemic. An MC5 element shows up in the song “Changes” and really rocks and rolls the listener. The Byrds influence arrives in “Lazy Me” and you’ll want to turn,turn,turn it up!(#seewhatididthere) For a garage band, they sure knew how to write some very complex rhythms and textures. In the final song, “Indifference” you can hear minor harmonies and they really tune in the rock. Their time signature is nuts! They nail every single one of them too. Intricate melodies with Monkees harmonies. It’s a quick one but well worth it...though my copy was quite skippy.

Buffalo Springfield: Buffalo Springfield ( 1973 2xLP comp ) (Side Three )

Firstly, I had to notate WHICH Buffalo Springfield release this was, because there are quite a few titled similarly. The band was apparently not fond of coming up with album titles. I would have gone with “the best of” or maybe “greatest hits” or even “BUFFALOes outstanding in their SPRINGFIELD”. But I digress. Buffalo Springfield was a Canadian-American rock band active from 1966 to 1968 whose most prominent members were Stephen Stills, Neil Young, and Richie Furay. The group released three albums and several singles, including one of the most poignant tunes ever written IMO "For What It's Worth". The band combined elements of folk and country music with British invasion and psychedelic-rock influences, and, along with the Byrds, were part of the early development of folk-rock. Aside from THAT tiny detail in the landscape of music, the band may be best known for the origins of what came after their time together. The group broke up in 1968, and from the ashes of Springfield came a plethora of other great acts. Stephen Stills went on to form the supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash with David Crosby of the Byrds and Graham Nash of the Hollies. Neil Young launched his solo career and later joined Stills in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in 1969. Furay, along with Jim Messina, went on to form the country-rock band Poco. The band was very short lived but well received and put out quality songs. For their efforts, in 1997, Buffalo Springfield was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Since this release is the posthumous 1973 compilation, it covers a large scope, but Side three is mostly later work. The song “Expecting To Fly” starts it off. Strings, wings and things find these mellow fellows both orchestral and peaceful. “Hung Upside Down” is a rocker. Complete even with wanking solos which is actually pretty uncommon for the group. Yes, with no distress. You get that country feeling with “A Child’s Claim To Fame”. Slide guitar meets Willie Nelson and those peaceful easy feelin’ Eagles. “Kind Woman”is more of the same soft and slow stuff. “On the way Home” has a pretty 70’s feel good vibe. It’s for everyday people, sly (#seewhatididthere). Neil croons a tune with “I Am A Child”-which is the the last song. Get the wind beneath your wings and fly higher than The Eagles, you Bette (#seewhatididthere #doubleseewhatididthere #iknowitsnotoriginallybettessong). Overall these are easy breezy tunes and it’s important to acknowledge the importance of their career and what comes after.

Today, we saw Moby Grape try to put aside their creative differences and CONCENTRATE (#seewhatididthere) on the music. They burned 109 calories over 6 songs and 17 minutes. They averaged 18.17 calories burned per song and 6.41 calories burned per minute. They earned 16 out of 18 possible stars. Buffalo Springfield kept showing up in the background. Both in conversations and in self titled albums. They burned 120 calories over 19 minutes and 6 songs. They burned an average of 20.0 calories per song and 6.32 calories per minute. Buffalo Springfield earned 10 out of 18 possible stars. It seems the biggest grape in the ocean wins today!

Moby Grape: “Indifference”

https://youtu.be/yCMnGD0oRH0

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Battle 18

Booker T. And the M. G.’s : GreenOnions ( Side 1)

Vs.

The Darkness : Permissionto Land ( Side One )

Booker T. And the M. G.’s : GreenOnions ( Side 1)

Booker T. & the M.G.'s are an American instrumental R&B/funk band that was influential in shaping the sound of Southern soul and Memphis soul. The original members of the group were Booker T. Jones (organ, piano), Steve Cropper (guitar), Lewie Steinberg (bass), and Al Jackson Jr. (drums). In the 1960s, as members of the house band of Stax Records, they played on HUNDREDS of recordings by artists including Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Bill Withers, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Johnnie Taylor and Albert King. After realizing the talent level of what they had, Stax decided to give them their own shot. They released instrumental records under their own name, including the 1962 hit single "Green Onions". As originators of the unique Stax sound, the group was one of the most prolific, respected, and imitated of its era. By the mid-1960s, bands on both sides of the Atlantic were trying to sound like Booker T. & the M.G.'s. They were barrier breakers too, having two white members (Cropper and Steinberg, later Dunn) and two black members (Jones and Jackson Jr.), making Booker T. & the M.G.'s one of the first racially integrated rock groups. This was at a time when soul music and the Memphis music scene in particular were generally considered the preserve of black culture. The origins of the M.G’s portion of the group’s name has been widely debated. Answers range to everything from a nod to the popular sports car, to the geography of "Memphis Group". One of the best theories though is to a candid response in an interview where the question was asked “What does MG actually stand for?” And Duck Dunn said: “Musical geniuses!”. Whatever the case, the group is steeped in talent, and “Green Onions” is a million copies certified gold disc seller. In my personal opinion it is one of the greatest instrumentals ever written. It also happens to be the first song on side one of this first proper album of the group, released in response to the wide popularity of the single. The album contains a lot of covers, but the talent is clear. “Green Onions” is an original and started a whole career and helped fuel the trend of organ craziness across the U. S. A. “Rinky-Dink” follows and has a cha-cha type vibe. Another quirky work and a fine example of the group’s sound. “I Got a Woman” is their take on the Ray Charles classic. It has more jangle to the tune than the original perhaps but the6 clearly added their own spin, which I love. Next is, “ ‘Mo Onions” and all f course it’s a slight return of the hit above. Hey when you have a good thing you capitalize right? It’s really almost an alternate version or take of the song but it’s still like being in a cool church with a really rockin’ and rollin’ Church band led by organ. “Twist and Shout” is an instrumental spin on the old classic and has a pretty surfy vibe. Nice. The final cut is another BT&MG original called “Behave Yourself”. They slow down and get gospel on the listeners. Speak (easy) of church, there’s an organ solo. How low? SO LOW you can feel it in your toes (#seewhatididthere). Booker and company assure us that you don’t always need words to make a good impression or to rock out. Relaxing pop mixed with a bit of soul cookin’.

The Darkness : Permissionto Land ( Side One )

The Darkness is a British rock band formed in Lowestoft, Suffolk, in the United Kingdom, in 2000. The Darkness came to prominence with the release of this, their debut album, Permission to Land, in 2003. It contains hit after certified hit by way of the singles "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", "Growing on Me", "Get Your Hands off My Woman", and "Love is Only a Feeling". In fact, all four of those are pretty much side one of this record with one other tune (also pretty stellar) called “Black Shuck”. Justin Hawkins had been initially inspired to play guitar by Brian May of Queen, as he loved his tone and vibrato. You can hear the heavy Queen influence throughout the band’s music. Often they were considered a joke band in their beginnings. Probably because no one could believe that in the early 2000’s a band with a 70’s hard rock sound and flair featuring a frontman with a glass shattering falsetto could possibly be attempting to do this for actual serious reasons. Well, they were, and thank God because they are sooo good. These tunes are more catchy than the coronavirus!! “Black Shuck” is the song that introduces the world to the band. The riff’s bite your hands and you’re going to get smacked across the face. Your jaw will drop once you hear those shrill vocals that could shatter glass. Not certain who black shuck is but I certainly don’t want to meet them. "Get Your Hands off My Woman“ is next and shows how the band is both brilliant yet undeniably tongue in cheek at the same time. It’s serious but humorous and catchy but criminal all at once. Poignant in some aspects. Are The Darkness woke? Maybe. Ben Folds does a fantastic cover of this by the way. Check that out for additional bonus joy! "Growing on Me" again incorporates some humorous lyrics with a flawless entry into badass territory. The lyrics are silly but the music is superb...it’s like the perfect marriage. Oh and the double entendres of a parasite/love is pretty ingenious too. Is it possible to love a band? Because if so, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love". (#seewhatididthere) BOOM!! c’mon! That was a perfect setup for that. And if you know ONE Darkness song, it’s that one. You couldn’t NOT hear it circa late 2003-early 2004. Honestly though, who wouldn’t want to hear it?! No friends of mine, that’s for sure! It’s another fine example of why this band shreds so much. It was a big radio hit and pretty much everyone stateside’s intro to what The Darkness were all about. They also deserve points for fitting so many words into the rhythm. That’s an accomplishment all by itself. The final song, "Love is Only a Feeling", is an entry into the ballad category. I have to say, it’s a pretty perfect song too. 5 for 5 these guys, literally sticking the landing, and nailing the dismount. Bringing back the high vocals and introducing some Spanish style angelic guitar licks. I am...blown away at how amazing these back to back to back to back to back hits are. It’s my dream to write a record this good. Every bit as Weird Al as it is hard rock. I was just recently reminiscing of how well this album has stood up over time too. It still sounds amazing some 17 years later! It’s totally Queen and AC/DC level riffs and vocals meeting up with a cacophony of comedy.

So in today’s matchup Booker T. Made some green AND onions with his backup group The MGs. They burned 117 calories over 18 minutes and 6 songs. That’s an average of 19.50 calories burned per song and 6.50 calories burned per minute. BT&MGs earned 14 out of 18 possible stars. The Darkness debuted with COMPLETE and TOTAL permission to land. They commanded today’s battle with 121 calories burned over 5 songs and in just 18 minutes from takeoff to landing. The Darkness averaged 24.20 calories burned per song and 6.72 calories burned per minute, earning an impressive 14 out of 15 possible stars. Looks like The Darkness have shown us all the light! They walk away today’s champions!

The Darkness: “Get Your Hands off My Woman” (live...because it NEEDS to be)

https://youtu.be/wr0750tWDPA

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Battle #17

AC/DC: Back in Black ( Side One )

Vs.

Screaming Trees: Last Words-The Final Recordings ( Side B )

AC/DC: Back in Black ( Side One )

AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and heavy metal. The band themselves describe their music as simply "rock and roll". Most people know the name, even if just from seeing the logo on a Tee-shirt. There have been line up changes which separates the band into two distinct eras. Bon Scott and Brian Johnson. In the earlier days, membership subsequently stabilized around the Young brothers, singer Bon Scott, drummer Phil Rudd, and bass player Mark Evans. Evans was replaced by Cliff Williams in 1977 for the album Powerage. In February 1980, a few months after recording the album Highway to Hell, lead singer and co-songwriter Bon Scott died of acute alcohol poisoning. The group considered disbanding but stayed together, bringing in Brian Johnson as replacement for Scott. Johnson doesn’t always get the credit he deserves, as he really is a suitable replacement. Later that year, the band released their first album with Johnson at the helm, Back in Black, which they dedicated to Scott's memory. The album launched them to new heights of success and became one of the best selling albums of all time. It contains most of the songs that any AC/DC fan would recognize. It starts off with “Hells Bells”. The Bell tolls signifying Bon Scott’s death and it’s a somber guitar part that meanders, leading you down the path where drums and cymbals kick in. It’s an excellent power cord riff from Young and a great tempo with big vocals. The perfect start really. “Shoot to Thrill” fires on all cylinders next. Speeding up and back to the rock and roll. The band wasted no time showcasing Brian’s vocal abilities. One of the only clunkers (and I use that term very loosely as it’s no bad tune) is “What You Do For Money Honey”. It still is a good song, but just didn’t chart. Centers around that 100% Angus beef riff. AC/DC has a formula and what they do, they do very well. Though they certainly were not English majors. Next is “Given the Dog a Bone” which is probably not the correct context GIVEN the circumstances (#seewhatididthere). I am pretty sure it doesn’t matter for the context of the song though. The double entendres is entirely understood and something the band made a career out of. “Let me put my love into you” is the next song. It’s another great builder just like “Hells bells”. Angus is a riff machine. Lyrics include: “Let me cut your cake with my knife“ it’s classic AC/DC. This is of course one of their biggest albums and since it came out so soon after Bon Scott’s death there are theories that Bon Scott wrote some of the songs. It’s never been proven to my knowledge though. Does it matter anyway? A good song is a good song. Even though the whole album is supposedly a tribute to Bon Scott there is no actual mention of him anywhere which I do think is a poor move on the part of the band. It should have truly been a memorial as he was a big part of the band’s early success. Either way you look at it though! this album is a true rock classic and should be respected across all boards.

Screaming Trees: Last Words-The Final Recordings ( Side B )

Screaming Trees were an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington in 1985 by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bassist Van Conner (another band with brothers!) and drummer Mark Pickerel. Pickerel had been replaced by Barrett Martin by the time the band reached its most successful period. Although the band is widely associated with grunge, the band's sound incorporated hard rock and psychedelic elements. Screaming Trees rose to fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, along with bands such as Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Soundgarden and was one of the most successful underground music acts of the 1990s. Screaming Trees were plagued by extended inactivity due to their problems with making a follow up to Dust. This led to their official breakup in 2000. So really, this album is posthumous. As you may have inferred from the album’s title, this is the band’s last output. Initially recorded because the band had enough material to make it worth doing, it was never necessarily intended to be an official release. Recorded mostly in case they could find a label to release it. It turned out so well though that it eventually found it’s way to an official release in 2011. So in many ways this is THE final documentation of the band. You can tell by some of the studio banter left on the recordings that they seem to have fun making it. It starts off with the song “Reflections“. It’s a mantric and introspective tune, but basically an acoustic song. Mark Lanegan‘s smooth, barrel aged whiskey vocals really drive the whole song. “Tomorrow changes“ is another nice mellow and harmonic tune. This band really captures a feeling of peace. I am very glad they laid these songs down. The band has a sort of calmness to them which makes them very different from their Seattle peers in the grunge scene. “Low life” is the next song which is a bit more topical. Mark‘s bass vocal range really shines here. More indicative of normal Screaming Trees songs, it’s a rocker with screaming leads (#seewhatididthere). “Anita Gray” seems to recall a buzz factory era Screaming Trees. Trippy guitar pedals and brilliant time changes summarize this number. Harkens back to more psychedelia elements which helped make the band famous. Since this is the B-side it only seems appropriate that the last song is called “Last Words“. Echo effects on the vocals really help to complement what’s happening here. I love the rocking beats. The whole album captures a very raw and real vibe. It’s almost gospel in nature. And for you record Collector nerds it comes on delicious Cherry red vinyl.

So who is today’s champion? AC/DC were back in The Black, and took 22 minutes to burn 142 calories over five songs. They averaged 28.40 calories per song and 6.46 calories per minute. They earned 13 out of 15 possible stars. The Screaming Trees used their last words to belt out 19 minutes worth of songs and burn 125 calories in that five song process. They averaged 25.0 calories burned per song and 6.58 calories burned per minute, all while earning 14 out of 15 possible stars. It may be their final recordings, but the Screaming Trees are also today’s final champions.

Screaming Trees: “Last Words”

https://youtu.be/DP6Gsl0DxeA

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Battle #16

The Muffs: Blonder and Blonder ( Side A )

Vs.

Less Than Jake : Losing Streak ( Side B )

The Muffs: Blonder and Blonder ( Side A )

The Muffs were an American punk rock band based in Southern California, formed in 1991. Led by singer and guitarist Kim Shattuck, the band released four full-length studio albums in the 1990s, To much acclaim. After a long hiatus beginning in 1999, the band released a fifth album in 2004 but thereafter effectively disbanded. Almost a decade later, the three core members of the band reunited and started performing again. Their sixth album, Whoop Dee Doo, was released in 2014, and most recently the band released their last album...posthumously unfortunately ... in October 2019, just weeks after Kim Shattuck lost her battle with ALS. The band started as a collaboration between guitarists Kim Shattuck and Melanie Vammen, both former members of the 1980s all-female hard rock group, The Pandoras. The two split off and soon after, The Muffs started performing and recording after the addition of bassist Ronnie Barnett and drummer Criss Crass. Crass and Vammen eventually left and drummer Roy McDonald came on board. As a three piece, they recorded this brilliant album which is considered by many (I count myself among them) to be their best work. The one signature feature that The Muffs bring, that virtually no one else has, are those Shattuck vocal shreds. Any Muffs fan knows exactly what I am talking about. Other female fronted bands have tried, but Kim has this perfect range of the bassy but pretty, light and airy but weighty, shrill but gentle, harmony and chaos, and soft but throaty vocal ability. It’s incredible. And it’s showcased right from the start in the first song “Agony”. Quicken your pulse as you rock out to a 3 piece masterpiece. This defines pop punk in all of its catchiness. The next number is a big hit on the alterna-airwaves. “Oh Nina” you may remember from the 90s video days. It’s on you tube if not. More feedback and those perfect yells. It’s very difficult to describe how amazing they are...the yells I mean. I know that sounds nuts, being a fan of “yells”, but really...they are music to my ears. Executed perfectly every single time. “On and On” contains some minor chord action and I must say, as a whole the band really comes into their own on this one. I don’t think that there’s any bigger hit on here though than “Sad Tomorrow”. Point blank it’s flawless and a perfect example of a finely crafted pop song. Depressing subject matter swirling around a magnetic riff. It’s my favorite on here and maybe one of my favorite Muffs Tunes period. The liner notes written by Kim give some real insight too. Paraphrasing her words, but she talks about how it’s such a “woe is me song” but it was written on the beach. There again, you have something that makes this band so lovable. They are down to earth and make fun of themselves. “What You’ve Done” showcases the Shattuck vocal range. More mature. “Red Eyed Troll” rolls right along and it’s an almost rock-a-Billy gruff and tumble song. Gravely shrapnel aggro pop punk. The final tune, “End it All” is lighter fanfare that sees the band really mixing their metaphors. The music is happy and bright, while the subject is dark and brooding. Again referring to the liner notes, it’s a true story of a French girl who hung herself at a party she was attending. The songwriting is absolutely top notch and this is hands down my favorite Muffs album. Again, the band really solidified on this release, especially for a 3 piece. As icing on the cake it’s on beautiful sky blue marble swirl wax. The liner notes by Kim (R. I. P.) are worth it alone. This was a real punky rock battle! Less Than Jake hold their own too. 90s up teh punx!

Less Than Jake : Losing Streak ( Side B )

Gainesville Florida is the Place this formidable ska punk band from the 90s (and today) call home (still). If this band is one thing, that thing is dedicated. To their fans, their obligations, their morals and themselves. Their output is impressive and their commitment is even more so. Respect is the first thing I think of when I see the initials LTJ. I think they initially got a little flack from the punk community when they initially “went for it” on this, their first major label release...I may have been among them...but seeing how it played out, I have nothing but respect for them. They used their vehicle to successfully gain a wider audience, put out better records, still fulfilling their contractual commitments and then going back to independence while using their money wisely to start their own label. As Weezer might say, “how cool is that!?” They subverted the system! If that’s not punk I don’t know what is! So this is the B Side...but LTJ know a thing or two about vinyl. Some of their best stuff is on the B Side! No exceptions here. “Never Going Back to New Jersey” has those delightful sound clips they like to throw out every once in a while. This is early enough in their career that you still hear a lot of horns, though later releases abandon them. Punk and ska with a tug-o-war tempo. “How’s My Driving, Doug Hastings?” Is next and it’s a story time lyrical that the band is so good at. I think the thing that makes them so good is how real and raw they are. Roger and Chris (oh yeah! Multiple singers too!) both belt out the blistering punk on a classic tune, “Just Like Frank”. A decidedly more ska flavored one steps up next with “Ask The Magic 8 Ball”. There’s still some punk spitfire, but it’s buried behind the bouncy skanking going on. One of the unique things they do is write from a POV. In this next case, it from a “Dopeman”. Hey, drug dealers have feelings too...but it IS a song that makes you stop and think about personal perspectives and why someone might elect to do the things they do. The friend that introduced me to this band many moons ago told me, “some of their best songs are the ones where people hate them”. She was not wrong. “Jen Doesn’t Like me Anymore” is a staple in the set and fan fave. As the song suggests, Jen is not much of a fan. I think this was partly the label making them re-record some of their hits for the debut, but this is a much better version IMO. “Rock ‘n’ Roll Pizzeria” follows and honestly, who doesn’t love pizza!?!!? Or rock and roll!?!? This song combines those legendary things! To be fair, pizza is OFTEN a theme for LTJ. So you can imagine just how awesome this fast and punky song is. I heard it’s about a venue. The final tune is called “Lockdown” and it’s about the Coronavirus. Just kidding. But yeah, how crazy is that!!? It’s a sentimental one with good horn use. The last things you need to know are that LTJ are Florida legends with good roots. Oh and that the drummer, Vinnie writes all the songs. Jake was the name of the family dog, and Vinnie was often treated with less respect than that dog...ergo LESS than Jake. Both slabs today were on colored wax! This one on Pea green, and both albums were pre Internet and pro tools, fools!

The Muffs went Blonder and Blonder and just played stronger and stronger. They burned 112 total calories over 7 songs and 17 minutes. Their total number of calories burned per song was 16.0 and 6.59 per minute. The Muffs earned 17 out of 21 possible stars. Less Than Jake, unfortunately, went on a Losing Streak. It’s an accurate name for today’s matchup, as the band burned 124 calories over 19 minutes and 8 songs. That’s an average of 15.50 calories burned per song and 6.53 calories burned per minute. They did earn 19 out of 24 possible stars. Not enough to top The Muffs, who are today’s walking winners.

The Muffs: “Sad Tomorrow”

https://youtu.be/vsxyaZhdW1s

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Battle #15

M: New York London Paris Munich ( Side 2 )

Vs.

Bracket: Novelty Forever ( Side 1 )

M: New York London Paris Munich ( Side 2 )

M was a British new wave and synthpop music project from London, England, led by English musician Robin Scott in the late 1970s and early 1980s. M is most known for the 1979 hit "Pop Muzik", which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart in May 1979, and number one in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on 3 November 1979. The band was really lumped in with the new wave movement but was probably a bit more avant-garde than the average keyboard toting musician. Technically M is really just Robin Scott with additional musicians helping. This is their first proper album that came out in response to the popularity of the hit “Pop Muzik” which was released and charged the year before this album. Incidentally that song is located on Side one. Side two contains 4 songs, the first of which is “Moonlight and Muzak”. It’s really more Talking Heads than Flock of Seagulls. Dreamy, floating and synth driven. As if that’s not enough, “That’s the way Money Goes” follows and it’s...reggae ...wave? New wave reggae? Steady (rock steady #seewhatididthere) beats throughout. Quite British here. I’m guessing this is the London part of the album. “Cowboys and Indians” is straight up club dance music. Disco-like Jazz. Meh. Kinda dumb honestly. I could do without. But not to fear, as M regrouped for the last dance. “Unite Your Nation” has a good structure. It’s filling and bold. Overall it’s new wave lite. Most instrumentation and orchestrated piece on the whole platter. Again though, it drones on... I get it, M is the classic new wave group with the hit, “pop muzik”, but let’s talk about it (#seewhatididthere). On this side it is a Whole new look at what can be new wave. More avant-garde than anything. Fringed benefits. I even HEAR (#seewhatididthere) a little Deaf School in here.

Bracket: Novelty Forever ( Side 1 )

Bracket is an American rock band from Forestville, California formed in 1992. The lineup consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Marty Gregori, bassist and backing vocalist Zack Charlos, drummer Ray Castro, and guitarist and backing vocalist Angelo Celli, who replaced Larry Tinney in 1998. Bracket has issued numerous albums, EPs and singles since its inception, including many releases for Caroline Records and Fat Wreck Chords. Their sound could most easily be described as power pop influenced punk rock with a continued focus on vocal harmonies. The name Bracket came from choosing the word at random from the dictionary. How punk is that!? Random!! The thing that truly makes this band standout is their previously mentioned harmonies. Layers and layers of them. More than a 7 layer burrito!! They are very underrated in my opinion, and honestly a little unusual for the Fat Wreck Chords roster. The6 certainly have the meaty sound but the complexity is amazing. They put out some high quality 7” eps for Fat, but this is actually their first official full length for the label. It’s The Beach Boys meets Green Day, but with orchestral movements. No. Really!

“Last Day Sunday” starts it off with those thoughtful pop punk pauses and fast, punchy nuggets. “Three Gardens” is an anti-authority (?) or just contemplating getting old and growing up. At any rate, an analogy for life. Heavier than your average punk rock. “The Evil Bean” has a good time signature switch up (another bracket original quality-fresh for punk). It’s a slower nag about coffee and it’s rad. “Don’t Tell Miss Fenley” has this great bridge that wails and some special effects on the vocals. Pretty creative stuff.

“Sour” has appeared on a few comps as well, but it’s the same version. Poppy and quick and catchy and more contagious than the coronavirus. The last number is “Back to Allentown” - a follow up to the Billy Joel song ... just kidding. Mellow and winding which is a road this band likes to explore often. More room for harmonies!! Seriously if I can convey ONE THING HERE, it’s that bracket can flipping HARMONIZE!! OHHHH Soo goooood. The punk rock-ness of Lagwagon / NOFX / Snuff meets the pop sensibilities of Mr. T Experience / Green Day / Face To Face.

So today the world traveler M went to New York, London, Paris, and Munich. In the process he burned 129 calories over 20 minutes and 4 tunes. That’s an average of 32.25 calories burned per song and 6.45 calories burned per minute. M earned 7 out of 12 possible stars. Bracket decided to keep novelty forever and burned 109 calories over 16 minutes and 6 songs. They burned 18.17 calories per song and 6.81 calories per minute. Bracket earned 14 out of 18 possible stars. Bracket moves on...and may end up as a contender in our...well...RRW bracket!

Bracket : “Last Day Sunday”

https://youtu.be/n7gNWeKsDKk

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Battle #14

Streetheart: Under Heaven Over Hell ( Side Two )

Vs.

The Ramones: Subterranean Jungle ( Side Two )

Streetheart: Under Heaven Over Hell ( Side Two )

Streetheart is a Canadian rock band, originally from Regina, Saskatchewan but now based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This is their second album, and immediately after it’s release 2 members dropped out to join Loverboy. Despite tours with several large hard rock contemporaries like Rush, A/C D/C, and Toronto, the band just didn’t catch on here in the U. S. They have achieved much success in Canada and are more widely recognized there. The label must have thought highly enough of the band to have Hipgnosis (a popular art collective known for album art) work on the cover. I have to admit that I was a little let down. I had never heard of this band and took a gamble expecting rock. I was not wrong but I was surprised by the slight disco influence that seems to present itself. “Star” is the first track and it has disco beats over easy. Cowbell, so some redemption but... it is a very average sounding rocker. “Whose Turn is it Tonight?” Has the making of a single but STILL has those disco bass-ics. Piano meets guitar at studio 54. Here is a sample lyric: “you wanna step outside and fight?” Imagine it rhymed with the title. You get it. It does miraculously get badass the 2nd go around. Speedy and honestly should be the entire song. “Here Comes the Night” has the makings of a ballad. It reminds me of Lonestar. The Welsh band, not the country band. Also the lead singer is a Kim Carnes sounding dude. The last track is “Under my Thumb”. Yes it’s a Stones cover-which apparently got the band some airplay and attention at the time. I should have guessed. I’m not a big stones fan (early stuff, yes, fine) so it only makes sense this band would be influenced by them. Strangely the singer’s voice works for it pretty well. It is a decent version of the tune but I just hate the Stones. Effort is there but to me it’s just meh. Honestly, the pins have been set up for The Ramones, they just have to knock them down.

The Ramones: Subterranean Jungle ( Side Two )

If you’ve read this blog long enough then you know how disappointed I would be if you don’t know who The Ramones are. In fact, you should be ashamed of yourself. But just in case, I will bring you up to speed. Here’s what you need to know: New York City, 1974, fathers of modern pop punk and punk rock in general (although some may argue bands like The Stooges and MC5 helped start that engine). Oh yeah and 1-2-3-4! As in 4 is the maximum number of chords The Ramones use. All of the band members adopted pseudonyms ending with the surname "Ramone", although none of them were biologically related. They were inspired by Paul McCartney of The Beatles, who would check into hotels as "Paul Ramon". Here’s an impressive statistic, they performed 2,263 concerts, touring virtually nonstop for 22 years. Beat that, other bands!!! By the time Subterranean Jungle came out, The Ramones were well established and total machinery at what they do. I’m unclear, as I have never bothered to check, but I am fairly certain none of their albums break the 45 minute mark start to finish. Think 60s pop stripped down, sped up and no commercials in between. The Ramones are also offering up side two today. In my opinion it includes some of 1983’s sleeper hits. One of them is “Psycho Therapy”. I have covered this song and would cover again. It’s flawlessly catchy and succinct. The juxtaposition of the very fast chorus, with the drawn out phrasing of “Psssyyyychooo, Thhheerrraapppy” are prefect. They have a replicated formula for a reason. “Time Has Come Today” is a cover of the Chambers Brothers (? I believe?) classic song about war vets returning, only to be homeless and disrespected. It is a sad tale, and Joey puts a spin on it that warrants the sadness it inspires. It is a bit long for their typical fanfare. It’s okay though because it’s followed by “My-My Kind of a Girl”. A classic Ramones style crooner. There is plenty of tambourine action for you Monkees freaks out there too. In my opinion it’s a big hit buried on the back 9. There is an unusual fake ending that the band generally strays from. Branching out I suppose. At any rate, we head back to pop punk with “In the Park”. Hang out with the gang and have fun, in this quick New York minute trick. “Time Bomb” comes up next and by this point it should be fairly obvious that the Ramones have no clunkers. I don’t even think it’s possible...and it’s all because of the chord elimination! They have uncovered the secret to success!! Fewer chords = greater velocity, which in turn = mega hits!! Actually this one is very mid tempo so maybe not. Or maybe The Ramones just understood that simplicity is better. Ok, ok, ok, so next up is possibly the weirdest, longest, and most unique Ramones title ever. Ready? “Every Time I Eat Vegetables it Makes Me Think of You”. Yes. You know what though? IT’S STILL A PRETTY GREAT SONG!!! It’s a sentimental song that self describes. As is often the case, Joey makes war references, usually WW2. He’s kind of like....just an old republican dude. But they’re the masters of current pop punk so Gabba Gabba hey! What can you do?! This was the last album to officially chart for the band and is coming considered by many to be a return to form after the over the top production of Phil Spector and stray from punk standards on the two preceding albums. Additionally, the cover art is so obviously fake... it’s kind of like photoshop, but before photoshopping exists. (*holds hand up to face to whisper) I guess somebody should have called up Hipgnosis... it’s hilarious though. Love it and love this band.

Today’s matchup saw Streetheart under heaven, but over hell. They burned 122 calories over 19 minutes and 4 songs. That’s a total of 30.50 calories burned per song and 6.42 calories burned per minute. Streetheart earned 6 out of 12 possible stars. The Ramones fought their way out of a Subterranean Jungle (via the subway it seems). They burned 125 calories over 18 minutes and 6 songs. They burned an average of 20.83 calories per song and 6.94 calories per minute. The Ramones earned 15 out of 18 possible stars. Jungle or not, The Ramones are the kings of it today!

The Ramones: “Psycho Therapy” Both live and the official video, because I’m Psycho!

Live. https://youtu.be/VtoD7_lJuF8

Video. https://youtu.be/bej93aPldHE

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Battle #13

U. F. O. : Obsession ( Side Two )

Vs.

The Go-Gos : Beauty and the Beat ( Side 2 )

U. F. O. : Obsession ( Side Two )

UFO are an English rock band that was formed in London in 1968. They became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the new wave of British heavy metal. They’ve been at this so long they have influenced (in one way or another) many of the bands that came after them. Bands like Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dokken, Anthrax, Dio, Megadeth, Guns ‘n’ Roses...just to name a few. They are probably most notable for having Michael Schenker from The Scorpions in the band for most of their heyday. Phil Mogg is the founding and longest running member of the band. UFO's early work was strongly influenced by space rock, but they soon found the format limiting and moved on to heavier sounds. So this is their 7th studio album and the beginning of the band’s success and notability. “Hot ‘n’ Ready” is the first tune they hurl at us on Side Two. It’s an accurate description of the band’s sound. Screaming leads that bleed. Real raunch rock if Zeppelin and Queen had a love child, this would be it. Nazz-ty! (#seewhatididthere)

“Cherry” is the slow building follow up. Time for a rock off ballad style. There is some give and take with a bit of quite meets rock stage show that unfolds. “You Don’t Fool Me” fills the stadiums with crazy and catchy, winding leads, but overall it is a pretty quick one. “Looking Out for Number One (reprise)” returns (as the title suggests) from Side One. The solo acts as the lyrics, and it’s very Queen inspired. “One More for the Rodeo” sees another winner in that this would make an epic late night, winding road jam. Did I mention; cowbell!?! Next up, “Born to Lose”-which has defined Pink Floyd meets stairway to heaven sound. It kind of wimps out after it kicks in though. Some real complexity in this one though. Collector nerd notes: this is a Czech pressing (Because I got it in the Czech Republic) and it also features a Hipgnosis cover(an art collective known for their award winning album covers and general creativity).

The Go-Go’s : Beauty and the Beat ( Side 2 )

The Go-Go's are an American new wave band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable line-up consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboards, Belinda Carlisle on lead vocals, Gina Schock on drums, Kathy Valentine on bass guitar, and Jane Wiedlin on rhythm guitar. The Go-Go's rose to fame during the early 1980s and were the first, and to date only, all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts. Emphasis on that last part...The Runaways had plenty of hits, but they just didn’t chart like these ladies. Make NO mistake though, they absolutely kicked in the door for The Go-Go’s. Their 1981 debut album, Beauty and the Beat, is considered one of the cornerstone albums of US new wave, breaking barriers and paving the way for a host of other new American acts. When the album was released, it steadily climbed the Billboard 200 chart, ultimately reaching No. 1, largely due to the never ending parade of hits! They initially formed as a punk band and in fact in the early days used to open for some of the L. A. Scenes legendary punk bands like X and hang out with The Germs. This may be why, then, this debut is so well written. They have a knack for quick, catchy, power pop tunes. It’s actually pretty impressive. Side two starts out with a very well known classic, “We Got The Beat”. Yes, indeed. They do have it. It’s surfy turf and meaty. Quite catchy. They’ve got the backbeat too. Handclaps and backslaps all around. “Fading Fast” follows and is a minor hit, with Carlisle’s vocals being near perfection. Upbeat pop with power...could this be a song about their many groupies? “Automatic” might be the most different sounding for the band, but I have to say, they really nailed it here. Slower and almost Bauhaus in nature. I absolutely love the odd timing and pauses. More Goth than Go-Go’s! “You can’t Walk in your Sleep” seems to have the ladies returning to pop punk. In fact, it’s 100% modern pop punk, but in 1981. Another great and catchy tune. The next one is called “Skidmarks on my Heart”. Now, the 12 year old in me really wants to make underwear jokes, but I can’t find anything under there so...

These ladies simply do not let up. Hook after sugary sweet hook! The vocals are so real too. Very impassioned and cracking in the voice. The last one is maybe one of the best tunes on the whole album. It was a single called “Can’t Stop the World”. It has a badass breakdown. And a good message that’s on point. It’s on of the few Valentine penned songs, but it’s a great one. More than anything the Go-Go’s prove that girls can play and write too. This band and the aforementioned Runaways really helped open some doors for girls in an otherwise predominantly male role. This album is fantastic and any one of these songs runs circles around some of the other “pop songs” on the radio at this time. Hell, even TODAY!!!

So today U. F. O. Was obsessed. They burned 117 calories over 19 minutes and 6 songs. They burned 19.50 calories per song and 6.16 calories per minute. They earned 14 out of 18 possible stars. The Go-Go’s certainly proved they have beauty AND the beat. They burned 128 calories over 19 minutes and 6 songs. They burned 21.33 calories per song and 6.74 calories per minute. They earned an impressive 18 out of 18 possible stars. That’s only happened one other time in RRW history! The Go-Go’s are today’s obvious winner!!

The Go-Go’s: “Can’t Stop The World”

https://youtu.be/MwWRD8PL7S0

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Battle #12

Shoes: Silhouette ( Side One )

Vs.

The Animals: S/T ( Side 2 )

Shoes: Silhouette ( Side One )

Shoes is an American power pop band, formed in Zion, Illinois, in 1974 by brothers John and Jeff Murphy, and Gary Klebe and incorporating several different drummers including Skip Meyer, Barry Shumaker, Ric Menck, John Richardson, and Jeff Hunter. Also of note is the foresight of the band. Shoes formed their own record label, Black Vinyl Records, and owned and operated their own commercial recording studio (Short Order Recorder) from 1983 to 2004. Many artists recorded at the studio and some went on to sign major label recording contracts, including Local H and Material Issue. Also notice the absence of anything in front of Shoes. As in “The”. The band has intentionally left it off, though apparently there is a debate about wether it’s lifted from a famous Beatles interview from when they were first gaining notoriety. If you’re looking for finely crafted power pop, then look no further. Shoes fit in that category better than...well, a comfortable pair of shoes! (#seewhatididthere). The band had early success on MTV through video airplay, and by the time this album came around they had come and gone from any major label support. Silhouette is the band’s 5th album (technically) unless you count One in Versailles which was a limited run private press and very very out of print. By this point the band had gone through a few line up changes and may have even been using programmed percussion on a few of the tracks. It starts with “Get My Message” which is a showcase of the band’s pop sensibilities. Echo effects with a triumphant sound and essentially a three piece now. “Will You Spin For Me?” Is the sort of hit from this album. Picking up some tips from The Cars on this one, the boys experiment with distortion and fuzz. Pretty wicked stuff...good thing it was pressed on UK’s Demon Records! “When Push Comes To Shove” has more mid tempo, mid-fi pop. It’s predictable but precise and exactly what I like about it. “Shining” is next and has a disco bass feel to it. Such meat on these bones! Big sounds and hooks! You need shoes on your feet to tap to the beat (#seewhatididthere)! Is reggae new wave a thing? Well it is on the track “It’s Only You”! Wow, they are not afraid to experiment and tackle new ideas either. Ska wave was experiencing a comeback around that time so it sort of makes sense. Either way I appreciate the diversity! Their past albums were more consistent but these tangents suit the band well. The final tune is “Twist and Bend it” with it’s very straight and forward 4 on the floor pop methodology. Almost a little punk! If Gary Numan and The Cars hooked up at CBGBs this is the baby they would produce. Secretly I was hoping that they would end up battling The Shirts or Mean Jeans.

The Animals: S/T ( Side 2 )

The Animals are an English rhythm and blues and rock band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early 1960s. The band moved to London when they began to find fame in 1964. The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound and deep-voiced frontman Eric Burdon. You can really get a sense for this in their signature song and transatlantic No. 1 hit single, "House of the Rising Sun", as well as by hits such as "We Gotta Get Out of This Place", and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood". The band balanced tough, rock-edged pop singles against rhythm and blues-orientated album material and were part of the British Invasion of the US in 1964. The name “animals” itself came from their often explosive live shows as they were compared to being animals on stage. Eric Burdon has denied that though stating it is an homage to a friend they used total around with. As is often the case for these types of bands it was a whirlwind of tours, recording and putting out albums. This record (self titled) is the one that kicked it all off though. “Around and Around” is (I believe) a Chuck Berry tune. Blues bar with emphatic verses and crispy cymbal hits. It’s rock ‘n’ roll at it’s finest. It’s a song about non-stop sock hop rock, of course.

“I’m in Love Again “ sounds so similar it may as well be the same song. Just a slower tempo and different subject matter. You can actually hear the simple recording set up if you listen carefully. “Gonna Send you Back to Walker” has those church organ keys present. The Animals were an early adopter of the new fangled technology- and it’s partly what set them apart. Another play from the standards and practices book is “Memphis, Tennessee”. Nothing to write home about but it’s good background music. “I’m Mad Again” hurls some accusatory bass around now it is time for a story. No one is denying the importance of this band but the tunes are somewhat lackluster. Link Wray would be proud, and they do use a vibraslap so maybe they truly are Animals?!? The last number has us looking to the piano for salvation and is more upbeat. That song is called “I’ve Been Around” and it certainly has it’s place in the Animals catalog. Interesting side bar: MGM (as in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the movie studio) put this out. The Animals keep it short and sweet.

Today Shoes cast a silhouette across the battlefield. They managed to burn 131 calories over 6 songs and 20 minutes. They averaged 21.83 calories burned per song and 6.55 calories burned per minute. Shoes earned 16 out of 18 possible stars. The Animals made some tracks (#seewhatididthere) with their self titled debut and managed to burn 111 calories. They played 6 songs and did it over 17 minutes. The Animals averaged 18.50 calories burned per song and 6.53 calories burned per minute. They earned 9 out of 18 possible stars. It seems that despite their long history, The Animals live in the silhouette of Shoes today. Shoes win!!

Shoes: “Will You Spin For Me?”

https://youtu.be/tfIw-LdZWZc

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