Studio Em-bare-arse-ments

Posted at TOMB:

Me:

1. brought the girl who dropped the 12 pack and at least 3 broke;

2. lost my voice midway through the last song (drank a 1/2 bottle of wine and it came back – this song here);

3. went to a pro session with my singer who was scoring for the famous band’s drummer – what was I doing there? (Cabrini Green pick-up and I hadda car.)

Vlay & Silv: *C19 XX (a e.p.)*

1. Dark Winter 03:02
2. Deadman’s Sleep 03:30
3. Yet Regret 03:34
4. The Perp Walk 03:46
5. Vultures 04:46

This is the XX, the 10 + 10, the 20th, the FUCKING TWENTIETH e.p. release of ours of 2020,
5 songs each = 100 COVIDCHOONS or DISEASE DITTIES or QUARANTOONS or CORONAJAMS –
whatever ya wanna call ’em.
What did all y’all do during yer isolation lockdown desolation interment vacation?
We hope ya listened to us, and will do so some more, some more.

released December 30, 2020

Silv: acoustic bass, uke, electric guitar, Hawaiian guitar, drums, percussion, virtuosonessosity
and key derrangments
Vlayman: acoustic guitar, utterances, 1 short wankage, mixing & etc.

Recorded at The Silversmith Barn, Commanda, Ontario (Silv)
Recorded at FetaCentralRecording DDL, Chgo., IL (Vlay)
Mixed, etc. at FCRDDL

Fartwork: Jose Jones

Bass comps

Re the EBS multi-comp, mine is at least 4 years old, is used pretty regularly (swapped in and out) and sounds great. I also like that the switch allows it to sound different. FWIW, it’s in my top 5 with the Meek (useful as a pre, a boost, a EQ- just big), the Ampeg opto (amazingly good for the price) and the Pigtronix (I prefer the version 1, simple, effective and economical if used, and has the distortion option) and my #1, the Toadworks Mr. Squishy (no one else will like this one). #6 would be that US$25 Kokko (because works for a 1/4 hundo), mebbe, altho’ I like the BYOC 4 band (complex set-up), and the BBE non-‘stache (useable and sounds fine).

And BTW, I’m cheap – I paid US$110 for the Meek, under a hundo for all else.

(As writ at talkbass.)

Some Xmas song links

Stereogum list:
‘Tis the damn season. Here are some holiday tracks that came out this week:

Caroline Polachek – “So Cold You’re Hurting My Feelings”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIzsxWjYT6I&feature=emb_logo

Mac DeMarco – “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wue4EmTyrMA&feature=emb_logo

Black Midi – “Jingle Bell Rock” & “What Christmas Means To Me”
https://windmillbrixton.bandcamp.com/album/bm-xmas-covers

Amber Coffman – “Hard Candy Christmas”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twCrQ7lbvdY&feature=emb_logo

Sinkane & Friends – “Christmas Wrapping”
https://sinkane.bandcamp.com/track/christmas-wrapping

Advance Base – “Christmas Steve”
https://advancebase.bandcamp.com/track/christmas-steve

Anna Burch – “Your Heart May Be Heavy”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKYkc2Z367Y&feature=emb_logo

Mike F list:

Pokey And Tyree Neal – Santa Was A Freak Like Me (Official Video)
https://youtu.be/8Yez4fYXQTA

Clarence Carter – Back Door Santa (1968)
https://youtu.be/s0NoalRsk5w

Albert King – Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin
https://youtu.be/Sjc2KwhlrtA

Ain’t No Chimneys in the Projects
https://youtu.be/j7nGYQrq-zk

Otis Redding – Merry Christmas Baby (Atco Records 1967)
https://youtu.be/rEyV8gnC4aQ

The worst Christmas song. Vocals are so bad it could be a classic-
Bob Dylan – Here Comes Santa Claus (Audio)
https://youtu.be/bOaZ96kr1WM

hanukkah song
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings “8 Days (of Hanukkah)” Lyric Video
https://youtu.be/VT2_7aq3yt

Vlayman: *Preacher’s Parts (a e.p.)*

1. Preacher’s Parts 03:52
2. In Context 03:57
3. Walkin’ Soft 04:03
4. Evil Sun 03:41
5. Gonna Fall Down 02:59

“Preacher’s parts” are what the family gives the local god-botherer when he comes for Sunday chicken dinner.

And he tucks right in, grease on his face, and he leaves with the silver and the extra lace napkins.

An upside-down Bible and the blessing of tear gas were only recently added.

release December 21, 2020

Writ by: Yo.
Played by: Yo (drums is nettage).
Prodooshed by: Yo.

Incompleted at FetaCentralRecording DDL, Chgo., IL.

Fartwerk: Jose Jones

bandcamp; vlayman;
THD; Geronimo Cowboys;
blog.
I mix with olive juice.

I never saw Willie

I never saw Willie, but I did see Dylan (thanx to DF for the tix).

Pro’ly told the story afore but it was like ’84 or ’85, and I think Aimee Mann’s band opened (“Voices Carry”).

Then came Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers touring the Southern Accents album.

Then Petty and the Heartbreakers backed up Dylan.

Thought I might marry the girl I was with but she had 3 pro’lems:

1. a baseball (Cubs) habit;

2. she liked Robin Hitchcock and also The Stranglers almost to excess*;

3. she didn’t want kids.

*workable because her other faves included Psych Furs and The Replacements, and she liked The Stones

I hate math

I hate math.
Actually, not.
I’m a musician, so I’m a kinda mathematician with motor skills*.
But I hate precision/accuracy, or at least the grunt work of same.
It’s why I like rock and roll.

*. c. ’20

Movie: *Never Grow Old*

Mud everywhere, and rain, and blood and death. Well-acted, Cusack makes an awesome bad guy. Even the good guys do bad things. A morality play, a bit of a love story, and a Western.

4/5 olives

Gibby + Pro,Jr.

Posted at TOMB:

[Re the amp], I put some kinda decent Jensen in it and went through it tying off the minimal wiring; I mighta done a re-flow or two, nowya mention it. I recall I had to shorten a chassis screw which was another issue they are notorious for. I also put a sweet old RCA 12AU7 in it; it started out with the usual 12AX7.

That’s a mod I highly reco if you use pedals BTW. The AU is a lower gain tube and seemed to make the clean a little cleaner/sparkly and gives ya higher headroom; I use pedals so I want that, as I can get good sounds from my boost and dirt pedals.

Here they is, in situ:

Also in the pic are a Senn MD21 and a PV 520n (there’s a SM7B behind the guitar, what stand left that funny circle in the carpet).

*got rid of her, kept the axe and amp.bandcamp; vlayman;
THD; Geronimo Cowboys;
blog.
I mix with olive juice.

48 or so ’20 short album reviews

Matt Berninger – Serpentine Prison: This guy should be nationally famous, National treasure, alla that.
5/5 olives

Tom Petty – Wildflowers & All The Rest (2 CD):Always a reference,sounds amazingly better, and the 2nd disc is a treasure.
5/5 olives

Phamarkoi / Distance Crunching Honchos With Echo: This Denomination has just Koppes on guitar, but that’s OK, as is the record, tho’ a little muddy production-wise.
4/5 olives

Thurston Moore – By The Fire: Smokin’, and I am liking Moore’s Post-SY just as much as SY.
5/5 olives

Lou Reed Live – Extended Versions – The Encore Collection: RnR Aminial Lou, this is supposedly like the 2nd half or RnR Animal, previously released under another title (vs. the usual “extendeds” which are singular out takes and different sourced live tracks.)
5/5 olives

Bob Mould- – Blue Hearts: A bit of a step back, not a bad thing, less pop more punk, except the audio is rather murky, like say, Beaster but not quite as dense. But great, and political songs, and he flat-out freakin’ rocks.
4/5 olives

Bruce Springsteen: Letter To You: A Message from E-Street, because I was going thru withdrawal for some new, E-Street Bruce, altho’ his last two records are also 5/5, they were different sides of Bruce (solo Western, then Cali/movie/western).
5/5 olives

The Immediate family -Slippin & Slidin: Waddy and the boys, Great playing, good singing, excellent song choices, incl. Zevon.

the dirty knobs – Wreckless Abandon: I like MC w/ TP, but I love me some Petty, I love the bad boy song, I was kinda bored with the rest. Mebbe it’ll grow on me, but I’m digggin’ the new version of Wildflowers so much more …
2/5 olives

Nick Cave – Idiot Prayer: Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace: Answered! I’m a big NC fan, consider him an influence on my own stuff, but – I rock, dammit. So does this, just Nick on the piano, and it’s mesmerizing. What I thought would be back ground-ish (and it can be, on at low volume – turns out his piano playing is really good inna solo setting) takes full attention for the awesome lyrics and his wonderful vocals. This may in fact be the best recording to introduce NC to the newbies; he’s giving it everything here.
5/5 olives

Pretenders – Hate For Sale: I’m Lovein’ the hate. The last record was better than average in a consistently good-to-great career; this one is on the great end. I’ll note that it’s less late-Chrissy (and yet all Chrissy, of course) and more the Pretenders sound, from the chorus’d guitar to Chambers’ drums, the breaks in her voice to the concise writing. Love the artwork, also.
5/5 olives

Bully – SUGAREGG: A little over-cooked. I know, easy pun (over-easy) but I like the Electrical Audio stuff better. I’m a fan, but this is my least fave of hers.
3/5 olives

Ghostpoet – I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep: Late Night Chill-out. I don’t know that I’ll like anything else by Joseph, I’m not a hip-hop fan, but it all comes together here, like a dream.
5/5 olives

Ed O’Brien – Earth: Ya Knew It wasn’t/couldn’t be All Thom. And Ed is just as interesting solo as RH, and just as danceable as solo TY. And headphone-ish, as well.
5/5 olives

Khruangbin / Leon Bridges – Texas Sun: Not Hot Enuff, Khruangbin is hip on the forums, but I don’t feel ’em. Leon is aiight, but I much prefer Black Joe Lewis and Curtis Harding for what they call, “retro-soul” …
3/5 olives

Bush – The Kingdom: A Treasonous Pleasure, the voice and the Helmet/NIN guitars and arrangements make it easy to ignore the insipid lyrics, and thankfully the basketball snare sound was de-throned.
4/5 olives

The Psychadelic Furs – Made of Rain: Let It Wash O’er Ya’s. For the 80’s punters, and yer little sisters and brothers; dance, or immerse yerselves in headphones. Extra credit for Mars, and Tim sounds awesome.
5/5 olives

Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways: It’s Bob. Laugh, cry, think – he’s at his best, and the band is right there with him.
5/5 olives

Dream Syndicate – The Universe Inside: Stereo Blues. This might be only for those who understand the review’s title, those who like psych and mebbe hallucinogenics, and those who appreciate guitar work-outs, with a great rhythm section and keys.
5/5 olives

Slothrust – The Pact: Agreeable Slickness, I liked ’em better raw.
3/5 olives

Joe Strummer – Joe Strummer 001 [2 CD]: For Completists. For fans.
5/5 olives

Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost (Part 2): I am not their intended audience, but damn, I love great dance music. Try ’em in cans, too.
4/5 olives

Lucinda Williams – Good Souls Better Angels: Top 10 of ’20. Lucinda is a fave, and this is just terrific writing on her bluesy side, typically unique vocals (I like the exaggerated accent – really) and a wonderful band – that lead guitar blows me away every listen. Great production, also.
5/5 olives

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit- Reunions: Another Top 10 of ’20. I can’t always start to listen to Jason, because when I do I wanna drop everything and just listen to Jason and his band. Bonus for AS, as always.
5/5 olives

Greg Dulli – Random Desire: I Miss the Bands. What I really want, tho’, is another The Gutter Twins.
3/5 olives

Miles Davis – On the Corner: Yep. It’s prime, primal, street-wise Miles.
5/5 olives

Drive-By Truckers – The Unraveling: I hate the sounds. I love the performances, the songs, the sentiments, but IMO it’s way over-produced, AOR-sounding. But I hadda give it 4, because the sounds bring it down 1.
4/5 olives

KIWANUKA – KIWANUKA: Slick sounds but … Like, I don’t know, hip-hop Fogelberg? Cool production, and that one song with the acoustic guitars that I can’t be bovvered to try and find again …
2/5 olives

Jim Jones Review – CollectiV: What you expect. I was a huge Thee Hypnotics fan, and I just dig me some goood garage rock, see.
3/5 olives

Mark Lanegan – Somebody’s Knocking: Top 10 of ’20. Alain Johannes? Rob Marshall? They made him Rock! And I love “Straight Songs of Sorrow” and his Garwood collabs, but this, and Gargoyle, Phantom Radio and especially Blues Funeral and Bubblegum – this is what I love best.
5/5 olives

David Bowie – A Reality Tour: It’s Live Bowie; Ya know it’s good. Great band, here, too.
5/5 olives

Miles Davis- Bitches Brew (Legacy Edition – CD / DVD Combo): Magic Potion. I think my 3rd version of this, mebbe 4th, but I needed the DVD, needed to watch these B’s brew.
5/5 olives

Prince – Piano & A Microphone 1983: Historical. It documents the process, documents the man alone at the piano, but loses the funk, which for me is a great part of the attraction. And his guitar solos, of course.
5/5 olives

The Cure – The Cure – 40 Live Curaetion 25 + Anniversary [DVD]: Yep. I’m a fan-boy … of Bass VI, 80’s dance, and especially Reeves Gabrels. That Smith guy is pretty good, too.
5/5 olives

Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Colorado: I don’t like mountains. And CO has lotsa snowcaps, right? This left me a little cold, sorry, Brad. Gonna go put “Psych Pill” on now.
3/5 olives

Prince- Purple Rain Deluxe (Expanded Edition)(3CD/1DVD): This is the One. There’s others, yep, the man was ridiculously, consistently great and prolific beyond belief, but this has no better, and more hits than the rest, and the outtakes and the live stuff …
5/5 olives

Nick Cave – Ghosteen: Heartbreaking. Not heartbroken, but mellow, sorrowful Nick.
4/5 olive

Trixie Whitley – Lacuna: Trixie! Trixie! Trixie! Trixie!
5/5 olives

The Church – Future Past Perfect (live At The Enmore Australia) DVD: Perfect. Not the best picture but pretty good sound and great performance.
5/5 olives

Twin Peaks – Lookout Low: Local to me but … … did nothing much for me. Course, they are like my kids’ ages. Mebbe if I catch ’em live.
2/5 olives

Iggy Pop – Free: It’s Torchy Ig. Man, I thought it was just salamanders what could change so much, and yet stay the same ol’ lizard.
4/5 olives

John Scofield- Combo 66: This is my fave current fusiony jazzer … fusiony jazzin’.
5/5 olives

Pixies – Beneath The Eyrie: Sell out… and slickly, loudly and weird as ever, just sounding more commercially better.
5/5 olives

Bryan Ferry – Best of Bryan Ferry-Special Edition: The Voice. The voice, the clothes, the hair, the mannerisms, the songs. And a hilariously dated DVD of the MTV stuff.
5/5 olives

David Bowie – Let’s Dance (2018 Remastered Version): Let’s! The original was mixed so well that the re-master is just a little punchier and clearer. Nota bene: I have a boot of the tour-practices before SRV left, worth seeking out, but the guitar work here, and not just his, is stellar – the whole band just couldn’t be better. And telling caz fans about the origin of “China Girl” is always fun. But where are the bonus tracks?
5/5 olives

Brittany Howard – Jaime: Growin’ on me. Love her band, not a hip-hop fan, but every time I listen to this, I like it better.
4/5 olives

Liam Gallagher: Why Me? Why Not (Deluxe): I’ll tellya’s. My English friends laugh, but I just love the snotty voice, ‘tude, and guitars. Songs are good and melodies can be sublime, also. Bonus: not as nuts as his bro.
5/5 olives

Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury: Prince of Country. No, really, and this rocks so cool and weird. (Like “e” before “i”, see.)
5/5 olives