Nicki Minaj - "Monster" (forgotten song)

"You could be the King but watch the Queen conquer"

Ok, technically "Monster" is a single by Kanye West, featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.  And no disrespect to Kanye and the others, but Nicki's verse is what Danette loves and is thus the reason why I'm choosing it for her tenth (!) installment of birthday songs.

While neither of us are necessarily fans of Kanye, and he's recently lost his way, we do respect him and I can build a pretty good argument that he's a hip-hop version of Brian Eno.  From his fifth (2010) LP,  "Monster" is one of many tracks where he conjures intriguing soundscapes that push the boundaries of the genre.    

Danette likes Nicki because she's fabulous, larger-than-life, and feminist AF (even if she hedges a bit, she's the embodiment of it).  Danette's the same, and as her career has hit new heights she's ran afoul of all kinds of misogynistic haters: her group's work "isn't that impressive", there are people that "wouldn't work for her for a million dollars", and one even accusing her and her colleague of plagiarism.   Only one of those things are true, and her detractors have since all been "driven before her".

I've already established that these birthday songs are ones that make me think of Danette and not necessarily songs that she likes, but in this case it is both.   Nicki is fierce in a male-dominated space, and so is Danette.  NASA doesn't really support using walk-up music for meetings and presentations, but if they did, she'd alternate between "Bad Reputation" and Nicki's verse in "Monster".

"I think big, get cash, make 'em blink fast
Now look at what you just saw, this is what you live for
Aaahhh, I'm a motherfucking monster!"

"Monster" - Nicki Minaj's verse only (live 2015)
"Monster" - full song
Bonus link: "Monster" - Adele's version in Carpool Karaoke

Happy birthday Danette!

Previous birthday songs:

2018: Bear Hands - "Giants"
2017: Alvvays - "Archie, Marry Me"
2016: Molly Hatchet - "Flirtin' With Disaster"
2015: Avett Brothers - "Kick Drum Heart"
2014: Ani DiFranco - "32 Flavors"
2013: The Green Pajamas - "Kim the Waitress"
2012: The Cure - "High"
2011: Blink 182 - "Josie"
2010:  Dead Milkmen - "Punk Rock Girl"

Eddie Money - "Shakin'" (forgotten song)

Eddie Money died this week.  A continuing staple of classic rock radio, I often wondered why he was famous.  I like his songs, always sang along when they come on the radio, etc.  But as this Rolling Stone article points out, he always seemed an unlikely rock star.  Why did he make it and not any of the hundreds of artists that toil in anonymity that are at least as good if not better?

After his death was announced, I put this question to my friends and Terry and Scott pointed to at least a partial answer: after he moved to San Francisco, he caught the attention of promoter extraordinaire Bill Graham.  Scott also revealed that he had a personal connection with Eddie Money (his wife's cousin married Money's niece). 

One of my first LPs was 1982's "No Control", which featured my favorite song of his, "Shakin'".  Many of his other songs remain more popular (e.g., "Two Tickets to Paradise"), but this one is arguably his heaviest, featuring great work from guitarist Jimmy Lyon.  I also fondly recall the cheesy video, which features drag racing and a pre-Purple Rain Apollonia (I did not realize that until this week).  The modish lyrics reflect an archaic attitude to drunken driving (see also: "Trashed"), but *he* didn't steal or drive the car, *Roseanne* did, so at least there's a feminist angle.  Right?  Regardless, it's still a fun song, and I'll still enjoy his other songs as well even though he'll always be an unlikely rock star.

Eddie Money - "Shakin'"

Scott, Eddie, Ro, 2013.

Daniel Johnston - "Speeding Motorcyle" (forgotten song)

Daniel Johnston died this week, and although his passing was marked by many major outlets (for example, NPR and Pitchfork), most people won't recognize his name.  I know him because Yo La Tengo covered "Speeding Motorcycle" on their 1990 "Fakebook" LP, but other people might know him from Kurt Cobain wearing a "Hi, How Are You" t-shirt, or Pearl Jam covering "Walking the Cow".  Combine that with the list of artists who contributed to his 2004 tribute LP "The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered" and you'll get an idea of how he was a songwriter's songwriter. 

Although for a while he had a deal with a major label, most of his early discography were home recorded tapes that he distributed in Austin and other places.  "Speeding Motorcycle" came from his 1983 LP "Yip/Jump Music", his fifth self-released LP and is one of his more "popular" songs due to Yo La Tengo's cover.

His child-like wonderment made him an icon in the lo-fi, DIY scene, similar to another Kurt Cobain favorite, Calvin Johnson/Beat Happening/K Records.  Although they don't explicitly claim an influence, the appeal of Johnston comes from the same lo-fi / garage source that makes "American Weekend" and "Dancer Equired!" mesmerizing to me.

Daniel Johnston - "Speeding Motorcycle"
Yo La Tengo - "Speeding Motorcycle"
Daniel Johnston & Yo La Tengo - "Speeding Motorcycle", 1990*


* Johnston sings over the phone from a mental institution in West Virginia while accompanied by YLT in a radio studio; from Jay Lustig: "Yo La Tengo had just recorded its own version of “Speeding Motorcycle” for its Fakebook album, and WFMU DJ Nick Hill arranged for the collaboration. So Johnston sang over the phone, Yo La Tengo played in the studio, and the results were pretty magical."  Johnston drew the cover art for the resulting single.

Thievery Corporation - Live KEXP 2016-10-05 (concert)

Two weeks ago Drew, Lian, and I saw Thievery Corporation in concert at the National in Richmond.  Drew had seen them many times, having lived in Adams Morgan some 20+ years ago, but it was a first for Lian and me.  It was also appropriate since I first learned of Thievery Corporation via Drew and the "Dubbed Out in DC" compilation LP, and I've been a big fan ever since.

I had often wondered how their DJ / electronic / studio focus translated into a live setting (for example, they did not do my favorite song "The Foundation", which perhaps is less suitable for live performance), but I was pleased with the result, with the changing cast of guest vocalists providing the necessary variety.  The bassist also high-stepped through the entire show, providing some on-stage movement to contrast with, for example, when the guitarist would sit on a couch and play the sitar.

The setlist for this show hasn't been posted, but this five song KEXP set captures the feel of what we saw two weeks ago, although in Richmond they did not have a horn section. In both shows Eric Hilton was not present and the best explanation I can find is this brief reference from the Phoenix New Times: "Hilton, who is not an enthusiastic live performer, opts to run his side of things from Washington..."




I need to eventually review "Dubbed Out in DC", "Sounds From the Thievery Hi-Fi", and some of their other classic LPs, but for now this KEXP sampler will have to do. 

DJ Shadow - "Rocket Fuel" (spotlight)

I recently received two promotional e-mails from DJ Shadow, the first alerting me that a new LP will come out in 2019, and the second providing a link to an advance single, "Rocket Fuel", featuring De La Soul.

It sounds great -- and exactly like what you'd expect a 2019 collaboration between DJ Shadow and De La Soul to sound like.  My only complaint would be "why did it take them this long to work together?"   My primary complaint about "The Outsider" is that many of his guests were beneath him, but that's obviously not the case here. 

DJ Shadow and De La Soul - "Rocket Fuel"

2019-08-08 update: I received another email with the backstory of how DJ Shadow came to discover the cover of "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by The Belmonts that provided the sample for "Rocket Fuel".  

The Belmonts - "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye"

Tranquility Bass - "They Came In Peace" (LP review)

In celebration of Apollo 11, today I'll feature one of my favorite songs that's relatively hard to find.  "They Came In Peace" by Tranquility Bass first appeared in 1991 on the "They Came In Peace" EP.  I don't actually have that EP, but I have the title track on both on the Mo' Wax "Headz" compilation (1994) and the 1993 Exist Dance sampler "Transmitting From Heaven".  The former is excellent (I have Herbert to thank for first introducing me to "Headz"), the latter less so, but here I'll feature the original four song EP.

I've always said that we can forget velcro and Tang, the real benefit of the US space program was its providing endless samples for electronic music.  I'll eventually get around to The Orb's "Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld" (see also: "Rival Dealer"), but for now the most literal recognition is Tranquility Bass (get it?) and their looping of Buzz Aldrin saying "they came in peace for all mankind" over a languid beat and crickets.  I realize that sounds weird, but this is an excellent track and you should give it a listen.  The other three tracks on the EP are representative of electronic / trance music ca. 1991, and they're neither bad nor good. 

1. "They Came In Peace"
2. "They Came In Peace (Lunar Dub)"
3. "Lucifaze"
4. "Lucid Beats"

I'm giving the EP a score of 6/10 -- I'm not sure the EP is essential, even though the title track is.


Bonus link: "Cantamilla" from 1994's "Broadcast Standard Issue No. 1" is Tranquility Bass's other essential track. 

Joan Jett - "Crimson and Clover" (the song remains the same)

In honor of Pride Month, I'm featuring Joan Jett's 1981 cover of "Crimson and Clover" (from her second LP).  Joan hasn't actually come out, but she's an LGBTQ icon regardless.  Even though I didn't know about that in 1981 (who did?), I remember liking this song immediately.  I'm pretty sure I heard her version before the original, 1968 version from Tommy James and Shondells but I'm not certain.  And, sure I like the "underwater" / psychedelic original too, but Joan's version rawks, with those delicious power chords.

Why this song for Pride Month instead of others from her?  First, unlike in her cover of "I Love Rock and Roll"*, she does not change the gender of the love interest ("Ah, now I don't hardly know her / But I think I can love her).  Why did she keep the gender in one cover song but not the other? In retrospect, perhaps this was a clue.

Second, it's not like she was a purist; she did change the lyrics in C&C, and in the process made it 100X better.  Tommy James and The Shondells:

Yeah, my mind's such a sweet thing
I wanna do everything

What a beautiful feeling
Crimson and clover, over and over

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts:

Yeah, I'm not such a sweet thing
I wanna do everything
What a beautiful feeling
Crimson and clover, over and over

Perhaps TJ&TS couldn't get away with that line in 1968, but can we all agree that Joan's change of that one improves the rest of the stanza?

Tommy James and The Shondells - studio LP version, studio single version, live 1995,

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts - studio version, 1983 (live?, probably lip-synched), 2007(?) live version




* As per my previous post, "I Love Rock & Roll" is still a stupid song that even Joan can't redeem.


Bonus images: quick, name a rock artist other than Joan Jett who looks better, and not just by a little bit, some 25+ years after they first made it big.  Swapping the big hair for a buzz cut and ditching the one-piece coverall is a big part of it, but still...

Joan ca. 1983, as New York Dolls refugee:

Joan ca. 2007, as punk matriarch:

Any questions?