Liz Phair - Live 2021-06-23 (concert)

Is it still a "Tiny Desk" concert if it's held on a quite large remote stage?  

Liz Phair, promoting her most recent LP "Soberish", appeared last month on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series. Because of the pandemic, they're calling them "home" concerts and leaving it to artists to choose their own venue.  Liz apparently chose something slightly larger than the typical intimate, closed quarters that artists chose.

More importantly, she's got new material for the first time in 11 years.  The first three songs, "Spanish Doors", "In There", and "The Game" are from "Soberish" and it's quite good -- certainly an improvement over 2003's "Liz Phair" and 2005's "Somebodys' Miracle".  I don't have "Soberish" yet, but it's planned for my next bulk music purchase.  The four song set closes with a good version of "Never Said" from her 1993 debut LP. 

Be sure to also check out the advance singles from her new LP: "Spanish Doors", "The Game", "Hey Lou", and "In There".  

Liz will be at the Va Beach Amphitheater next month.  Our friend Michele is planning on going, but we'll probably sit this one out.  First, we're still a bit covid-hesitant, and second she's opening for Alanis Morissette and Garbage.  Nothing really against either of them, but... well, let's just say both should be opening for Liz.  

Also a preview: some day I'm going to get around to presenting my argument that now, in the 21st century, "Whip Smart" is actually a better LP to listen to than "Exile in Guyville".

Finally, although April is long gone, I'm retroactively claiming this is a Women's History Month post.

Blackalicious - "Paragraph President" (In Memoriam)

I've fallen behind on posting, but I'll restart by acknowledging the passing of Timothy J. Parker, AKA Gift of Gab, best known as one-half of Blackalicious and part of the influential Quannum Projects collective.  I could tell you that Gab had a voice, flow, and diction that put him head and shoulders above most other MCs, but you should instead read the tributes from DJ Shadow, Chief Xcel, and the many others that recognized his unique talents. 

I thought about highlighting "Midnight in a Perfect World (Gab Mix)" by DJ Shadow, but I already used that EP to mark the passing of David Axelrod four years ago.  I also thought about using "Alphabet Aerobics" (studio, live 2016), which you might remember from Daniel Radcliffe turning in an impressive version of it on the Jimmy Fallon show many years ago.  It's a great song, but verges on novelty and fails to capture the seriousness of Gift of Gab.

Instead, I settled on "Paragraph President", a 2001 single from the 2002 Blackalicious LP "Blazing Arrow".  DJ Shadow featured the last half of this song (listed as "halfway home") on his 2004 LP "Live! In Tune and On Time".  DJ Shadow was a guest producer for "Paragraph President", and once you listen to the combo of Gift of Gab and DJ Shadow, it will only make you regret they did not work together more often. 

Blackalicious - "Paragraph President"

The Supremes - "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (In Memoriam)

Mary Wilson, co-founder and only continuous member of The Supremes from 1959-1977, died earlier this month.  Though I write about it infrequently here, I'm a big fan of Motown (who isn't, really?), and The Supremes were one of the core elements of the Motown sound (honorable mention to session musicians extraordinaire, The Funk Brothers, as well as the incomparable songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland). 

I was going to mark Wilson's passing with my favorite track from The Supremes, "Someday We'll Be Together", but I was surprised to learn that Mary Wilson does not appear on the studio recording.  Instead, I'll choose the defiant "You Keep Me Hangin' On", which checks all the boxes: Mary Wilson (and co-founder Florence Ballard) appear, as do The Funk Brothers, and it's written by Holland-Dozier-Holland. 

Of course, this song has been covered more times than I can count, but any child of the 80s will immediately recall Kim Wilde's version.  I'm also sneaking this in on the last day of Black History Month.

The Supremes - "You Keep Me Hangin' On" 

Kim Wilde - "You Keep Me Hangin' On"

Ramones - Live 1977-12-31 (concert)

 

I'm way behind on all of my posts with several stuck in draft form, including several in memoriam posts.  Instead of doing the hard work of finishing those, I'll leave you with this gem I recently uncovered.  

"It's Alive" by the Ramones is considered one of the best punk live LPs, if not one of the best live LPs,  of all time.  The basis for that LP was this show at the Rainbow Theatre in London, which was one of the classic live venues in the UK during the 70s and early 80s.  In 1977, the Ramones were at their peak, enjoying a blistering streak of three classic LPs: Ramones (1976), Leave Home (1977), and Rocket to Russia (1977).  

This 26 minute clip is not the full show that comprised "It' Alive", but instead appears to be a 14 song compilation from the 2007 DVD release "It's Alive 1974--1996".  I'm not sure if the full concert is available online.  I need to return to my incomplete drafts, but until then enjoy this slice of 1977. 

John Prine - "Sam Stone" (forgotten song)

I'm far behind in my In Memoriam posts, so I'll close out 2020 by scratching one off the list and acknowledging the passing of John Prine, who we lost to Covid-19 near the beginning of the pandemic. 
 

I'll admit that while I knew of John Prine, I was mostly ignorant of his music.  But I did know the he was a songwriter's songwriter (cf. Roky Erickson, Daniel Johnston, and Leonard Cohen), and was revered by people I revere, such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. 

I'm marking his passing with one his most celebrated songs: "Sam Stone", from his 1971 debut LP.   Today I learned that this song was referenced via melody in Pink Floyd's "The Post War Dream" and lyrically in Spiritualized's "Cop Shoot Cop", which are both on extraordinary LPs: "The Final Cut" and "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space", respectively. 

 

John Prine - "Sam Stone" -- live 1997, Sessions at West 54th; live 1988, Austin City Limits; 1971 LP Version

Bonus link: Johnny Cash, "Sam Stone" -- live 1987, Austin City Limits

Eric Clapton - "It's In The Way That You Use It" (forgotten song)

 

So it turns out that Eric Clapton is collaborating with Van Morrison for another anti-lock down song.  This is apparently separate from the Van Morrison songs we learned of last month.  This is disappointing, dangerous, and completely tone deaf: how many people should be put at risk so this septuagenarian can do live shows again?

I'm not the biggest Eric Clapton fan, but owing to the time and place of my birth, I can't help but a fan to a certain degree.   He's objectively a guitar god, "Badge", "Layla", and "Wonderful Tonight" are all great song, and they have formed the soundtrack for various moments in my life.  So with sadness, I have to admit that the news about Clapton's does have a measure of personal disappointment.  

I will mark this occasion with a song that I like, even if not one of his greatest.  "It's in the Way That You Use It" was first featured on the soundtrack of "The Color of Money", a film that I really enjoyed when it came out.  It was later released on his LP "August", but it will always be a soundtrack song for me.  I'm not here to convince you that it's one of his classics, and it definitely has cheesy 80s production.  In preparing this post I learned that it was co-written by Robbie Robertson, which is pretty cool.  But I'm not going to deny that I like this song, even if the latest news does diminish my enjoyment just a bit.

"I've seen dark skies, never like this"

Eric Clapton - "It's in the Way That You Use It"

The Outfield - "Your Love" (forgotten song)

"Josie's on a vacation far away

Come around and talk it over

So many things that I want to say

You know I like my girls a little bit older"

Every child of the 80s will immediately recognize the opening lyrics of The Outfield's 1986 hit, "Your Love".  Lead singer and bassist Tony Lewis died this week, and this caused a discussion on the on-going text chat with my friends.  No one claimed this was their favorite song, but all praised it being a "genius pop song" and the lyrical content applicable to the moral dilemmas of teenagers / young adults (in other words, being "down with O.P.P.").  It was a radio and MTV staple back in the 80s, and an inescapable part of our HS soundtrack.

In our discussion, an interesting question arose: is the side chick younger or older than Josie?  younger or older than the male?  I, along with all the guys on the chat, had always assumed that the side chick was youngest of this love triangle.  That's a safe cultural (and gendered) assumption.  But re-reading it today I was less certain: "I like my girls a little bit older" -- wait, is she the oldest one?  Is she Stacy's mom?  All of the sudden I wasn't sure.  

I asked Danette and she said she always assumed the side chick was the oldest of the three.  Hillary said she assumed the side chick was older than Josie, but still younger than the male.  

 

I only have a few data points, but maybe there's something to the idea of a gendered interpretation of this silly but fun song.

The Outfield - "Your Love" (official video, with extended intro), (radio & LP version)