Roky Erickson - "For You (I'd Do Anything)" (forgotten song)

I'm pretty late getting to it, but on my birthday this year Roky Erickson died.  He was probably best well-known for his time in the 60s with The 13th Floor Elevators, but even they are all but lost to history, making Roky yet another installment in the "influential but not famous" category.  A song writer's song writer, his passing was noted by Rolling Stone, NPR, The New Yorker, and others. 

To say this life and career had many ups and down would be an understatement -- rather than rehash his troubles here I'll simply recommend the 2005 documentary "You're Gonna Miss Me", a documentary that is both entertaining, and then profoundly disturbing as it veers into Southern Gothic.

There are many parallels between Roky and Daniel Johnston, who died a few months after Roky.  One of the things they shared in common was a near universal respect from other artists.  As such, I'm choosing to mark his passing with a song I learned of from "Phases", Angel Olsen's excellent 2017 LP of covers, demos, and outtakes.  Angel Olsen is a tremendous song writer, and on "Phases" she covers a song by Bruce ("Tougher Than The Rest") as well as "For You (I'd Do Anything)" from Roky's 1995 LP "All That May Do My Rhyme".  There are about 100 reasons why I think Angel Olsen is incredible, and that fact that she does obscure covers from Bruce and Roky is one of those reasons. 

Roky Erickson - "For You (I'd Do Anything)", live version (IIRC, this is from the documentary)
Angel Olsen - "For You"*



Bonus link**: 13th Floor Elevators - "You're Gonna Miss Me"

Bonus bonus link: trailer for "You're Gonna Miss Me"


* So technically, Angel misnames her cover.  "All That May Do My Rhyme" has two different songs with similar titles: "For You" and "For You (I'd Do Anything)"; the song that Angel covers is actually "For You (I'd Do Anything)".

** By law, every article about Roky must mention this song. 

Angel Olsen - Live KEXP 2017-02-18 (concert)

More KEXP goodness, this time with Angel Olsen, recorded nearly a year ago in support of her excellent 2016 LP "My Woman". 

This four song set doesn't feature "Shut Up Kiss Me" or "Sister", my two favorite songs from "My Woman", but does feature the next best three songs from the LP ("Intern", "Woman", and "Never Be Mine") as well as a great cover of "Total Control" by The Motels. 

I've since updated my LP review to reflect this, but this KEXP concert clip is where I realized that the backup singer in the Colbert video that I raved about to all of my friends is actually Heather McEntire, the lead singer for Mount Moriah (on the right-hand side of the image above).  I've already covered how great Heather is in my review of their eponymous LP, so on the one hand, I'm disappointed that I didn't recognize her, even in the whole The Crickets / rockabilly outfit, and on the other hand I'm glad I noticed her sound and thought "wow, she should have her own band!" Fortunately Mount Moriah is still active and this is just another example of their members being involved in different projects (cf. Jenks Miller and Horseback). 

This is at least the second time Olsen has been on KEXP, but the 2014 appearance was in support of the "Burn Your Fire for No Witness" LP, which although not bad is not the masterpiece that "My Woman" is. 




Bonus link: The Motels - "Total Control"

Angel Olsen - "My Woman" (LP Review)

In my second installment for Women's History Month, I take a look at one of the better results for 2016 -- a year that was pretty bad for music in general.  In the Now Playing Facebook Group, I took note of a parade of posts extolling Angel Olsen's third LP, "My Woman".  Eventually I had to investigate and I was not disappointed: this really is a candidate for LP of the year.

I worked my way backward through her catalog: 2014's "Burn Your Fire for No Witness" and 2012's "Halfway Home", and while those are good LPs they don't foreshadow the level of accomplishment and mastery she displays on "My Woman".  Pitchfork gives an eloquent review, complete with references to Dolly, Loretta, Patti, and Cat Power.  Sure, no pressure there.  They should throw in a good bit of Mazzy Star as well. The New Yorker has a similarly effusive review, evoking Julee Cruise (via David Lynch) and Fleetwood Mac.

But Angel does move confidently and effortlessly from genre to genre, from the abstract synth of "Intern", to the garage-rock of "Shut Up Kiss Me", to the epic, slow burn of "Sister", and many others.  There are no bad songs on this LP, and you owe it to yourself to see what all the buzz is about*.

Standout songs: "Intern", "Never Be Mine", "Shut Up Kiss Me" (live on the Late Show, 2016-08-29; the backup singer takes this to 11**),  "Give It Up", "Not Gonna Kill You",  "Sister", "Those Were the Days", "Woman" (live, 2016-10-30?)

Skip 'em songs: none.

Final score: 9/10

Bonus link: "Intern / Woman" (live 2017-02-23)

* For the record: while Danette doesn't dislike the LP, she doesn't "get it".

** 2017-12-27 update: I just realized that "the backup singer" is Heather McEntire, of Mount Moriah. No wonder I liked her so much.  

Angel Olsen - Live KEXP 2014-03-07 (concert)

I recently found out about Angel Olsen via several people raving about her most recent LP, "My Woman", on the "Now Playing" Facebook group.  Eventually I investigated the LP and her body of work in general, and now I understand the buzz.  I'm not yet quite ready to review it, so in the mean time I'll just bring your attention to her via this KEXP concert from 2014 in support of her "Burn Your Fire for No Witness" LP. 



This is a good performance and I enjoy it more than her 2014 solo acoustic performance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert, but 2016's "My Woman" represents a significant progression for her.  Check her out.