Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Uncle Lou



New York (1989)
One of my best bargain bin purchases. Of all the Lou I've heard, I come back to this one the most because of sharp, cynical lyrics and driving guitars. The lyrics rank among the best of his career--if not the best.

Lou and Mike Rathke deliver the goods on the guitars.


Coney Island Baby [1975]


  1. "Crazy Feeling" – 2:56
  2. "Charley's Girl" – 2:36
  3. "She's My Best Friend" – 6:00
  4. "Kicks" – 6:06
  5. "A Gift" – 3:47
  6. "Ooohhh Baby" – 3:45
  7. "Nobody's Business" – 3:41
  8. "Coney Island Baby" – 6:36

[edit]30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition bonus tracks

  1. "Nowhere at All" – 3:17 recorded November 18 & 21, 1975 at Mediasound Studios, NYC
  2. "Downtown Dirt" – 4:18 recorded January 3 & 4, 1975 at Electric Lady Studios, NYC
  3. "Leave Me Alone" – 5:35 recorded October 19 & 20, 1975 at Mediasound Studios, NYC
  4. "Crazy Feeling" – 2:39 recorded January 3 & 4, 1975 at Electric Lady Studios, NYC
  5. "She's My Best Friend" – 4:08 recorded January 4, 1975 at Electric Lady Studios, NYC
  6. "Coney Island Baby" – 5:41 recorded January 6, 1975 at Electric Lady Studios, NYC
[Source: Wikipedia]

From Rock N Roll Animal (1975)












Transformer (1972) 















Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Gain's "Bloom" vs Miss A's "I Don't Need A Man"


[Cross-posted with Musings of Random Plebeians because of its connection with relationships and sex]

I find it quite interesting that these two songs came out at around the same time because it seems like Miss A wants to pick up where Destiny's Child left with their "independent women"/"we don't need a man" tropes. The group sings about how they can earn their earn money and take care of themselves.

And then there's Gain's "Bloom," a high flying ode to how much her lover (presumably a man) rocked her sexual world. (Note: Gain is pronounced Ga-in) The song oozes sex from its disco beat to its ecstatic chorus. Clearly, she's smitten with her lover.

Upon hearing these two tunes, I couldn't help but think about the following things:

--Gain rocks that disco beat.

--Sex with the one you love can be a really, really, enlightening and moving experience...but female singers can somehow make it sound even more enlightening.

--A friend once said "Love is sacred. Sex is biology." The Velvet Underground said that "Love makes you feel ten feet tall." Love makes the sex good, and love makes her feel like a flower in bloom.

--A woman making her own money and taking care of herself isn't so much about being an "independent woman" as it is about being a productive adult. Taking care of yourself comes with adult life. It's nothing groundbreaking or earth shattering.

--Miss A may sing about how they're independent and free now, but they'll change their tune if they have some good sex or some appealing man comes along.

--Miss A's song is more about how they don't want to be beholden to anyone...but supposing a man they liked came along, they'd change their tune. "Boy, don't play," they say, and of course they mean it. Women don't want "boys" or immature men supplicating them or even bothering to say hello.



Gain - Bloom

Miss A - I Don't Need A Man

Enjoy

For my money, "Bloom" is the better song. It's easier to dance to, for one, and I can't help but love that chorus and the snappy guitar lick in it. Clearly, her and her producers were listening to the Bee Gees when they recorded this song. "I Don't Need A Man" sounds boring by contrast. Hip-hop pop with fake attitude. Yay.