As popular as The Knack was, as big of a splash as they made with their debutalbum, my understanding is that they, relatively soon after their meteoric rise to rock stardom, got some extreme push-back to lyrics that were pretty much blatantly pedo adjacent. What am I saying? The fact that “My Sharona” was writtenContinue reading “#781: K is for The Knack”
Tag Archives: review
#779: K is for Klark Kent
It’s alphabetized under Klark and not Kentbecause this is more of a project namethan it is the name of an artist. It is the pseudonym, the stage name, the appellation, the moniker, the sobriquet, used on the first solo album by the most famous drummer of the most famous band of the 80’s, one ofContinue reading “#779: K is for Klark Kent”
#774: K is for King Crimson (1969)
In the 80’s, there was an SNLknock-off on ABC called Fridays. On one episode, the musical guestwas a band called King Crimson. I don’t remember if, at the time, I had any awareness of this bandor if I was hearing the name for the first time, but I do know thatthis was the first timeContinue reading “#774: K is for King Crimson (1969)”
#771: K is for Kansas
It may be a kind of cursefor progressive rock bands to have big hits. “Carry OnMy Wayward Son” is arguablyone of the greatest and most catchy prog rock songsin history, rivaled only by maybe “Roundabout” from Yes. But what’s also clearis that after Leftoverture and Point of No Return anda sequence of a couple ofContinue reading “#771: K is for Kansas”
#759: J is for Jellyfish
I cannot think of a better 90’s bandthat did not sound like the 90’s. Maybe The Posies or They Might BeGiants both come close, but thesecats, this Jellyfish band, I saw liveonce in their first iteration at a smallclub downtown shortly after that firstalbum, Bellybutton, and it was nearlya religious experience. Andy Sturmer, lead singingContinue reading “#759: J is for Jellyfish”
#739: J is for Jackson, Joe
At first, Joe Jackson struck meas the “other” Elvis Costello, and at the time, in my teens, I could not imagine needing another one. I was wrong aboutthat, of course, and I knew itas soon as Jackson released the big band album, Jumpin’Jive. He actually beat Costelloto the punch with the genrehopping. But this, NightContinue reading “#739: J is for Jackson, Joe”
#721: G is for Grant, John
I stumbled upon a live studio recording of Elbowperforming a song called“Kindling” from the Little Fictions album with a guestvocal performance by a guynamed John Grant. Who’s this person, I wondered. And I concluded, if he’s a friendof Elbow’s, he’s a friend ofmine, and then I watched thatvideo. Whoever this JohnGrant person was, he wasContinue reading “#721: G is for Grant, John”
#709: F is for FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks)
It took a collaboration with Sparksto get me interested in Franz Ferdinand,this alt rock group from Glasgow, now into their twentieth year or more as a band. This record, the only album I have of theirs,is titled simply FFS. Not officially a FranzFerdinand album, but rather a new supergroup collaboration with a new super groupname.Continue reading “#709: F is for FFS (Franz Ferdinand and Sparks)”
#708: F is for Foxygen and Foxwarren
FoxygenWe Are the 21st Century, Ambassadors of Peace and Magic, is the bold title of this 2013album from Foxygen. It’s theonly record of theirs I have, one thatI remember liking, at least a little,but before I play it today I canremember nothing about itor who turned me on to itor how. It’s a retro affair,Continue reading “#708: F is for Foxygen and Foxwarren”
#707: F is for Foreigner
I“I guess it’s just the woman in youthat brings out the man in me,”an objectively dumb lyric. I’m not looking forward to this. I have five, that’s right, five Foreigner albums, inherited by my older brother who hasn’t plugged in a turntablefor decades now. Like the Flashdancesoundtrack, but in a very differentstylistic direction, I don’tContinue reading “#707: F is for Foreigner”
