I only found out about these iTunes-only bonus tracks from digging around the internet for information on how Giles and George Martin put The Beatles’ Love album together. I was pleasantly surprised!
“Bone Machine”. (1992). Artist: Tom Waits. Why You Should Get It: Track 3: ‘Such A Scream’.
I’m a bit of a newcomer to the work of Tom Waits (Thanks Sean!) but so far, I have four albums and… (a) I already know that he’s a genius. (b) I already know that I HAVE to investigate his entire discography.
With some people, you just have to don’t you?
So that’s-a-what-I’m-a-gonna-do.
Trivia: “Bone Machine” was recorded in an old cement celler and the album cover photograph was taken by Jesse Dylan, Bob Dylan’s son.
“Orange” (Single). (2006). Artist:Fireband Boy. Why You Should Get It: 8-Bit Nintendo Gameboy Chiptunes that will make you so deliriously happy that you’ll want to dance yourself silly all night and then jump all the way home whilst making Super Mario Bros. coin noises to yourself! …Also, you can get it for FREE right HERE!
I once caught a Firebrand Boy gig by sheer chance at the 13th Note in Glasgow because I was already at the bar when he started playing and I had a BALL!
This isn’t the gig but it’s pretty much what went down at the one I was at:
“Electric Mud”. (1968). Artist: Muddy Waters. Why You Should Get It: A concept album by Muddy Waters? – You betcha!
…And it’s a strange and funky beautiful thing!
Muddy gets a psychedelic makeover! Classics like ‘Mannish Boy’ and ‘I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man’ are here but they’re wildly different to the original versions. Expect backwards vocals and upside down guitars etc…and a whole lotta FONK!
Not funk.
– FONK!
“Electric Mud” was an experimental album in sound (Old meets New) and it’s cool y’know! It works! I dunno why but it really works. ‘Mannish Boy’ sounds like it could’ve been produced by a Sgt. Pepper suited Lennon & McCartney and Muddy’s take on The Stones’ “Let’s Spend The Night Together” made me walk down the street with a 1970’s Harlem swagger that could get me a severe doing around these parts.
“Wrecking Ball”. (2012). Artist: Bruce Springsteen. Why You Should Get It: Well. I loved Springsteen’s “Working On A Dream” album and if you did too, you should take a listen to “Wrecking Ball”.
Just like with Tom Waits, I’m a bit of a Springsteen newcomer.
I didn’t get “Born To Run” until I was 27 but I started collecting his records straight away from there on.
I like his newer stuff better than his older records and like I say, I really loved “Working On A Dream”. It was so…American? Is that the right thing to say? Almost all of the tracks on that album had me punching the air and what the hell, I even liked “Queen Of The Supermarket”. I appreciate the odd bit of corn.
Most of my pals love Springsteen and so far they all seem to agree with each other that “Wrecking Ball” is a better album but I dunno about that. It’s definitely as good as “Working On A Dream” but I never measure albums against one another.
I just like them if they sound good and this does.
To me, this record kind of feels like “Working On A Dream: Part II” meets “The Departed” Soundtrack. Turn it up and let me know what you think of it.
“LIE: The Love And Terror Cult”. (1970). Artist: Charles Manson. Why You Should Get It: You probably don’t need this. I’ve been reading a book about Charlie and I just got it out of curiosity.
It is a curious album right enough.
Neil Young briefly knew Manson and he’s said that Manson had a nice voice and some decent songs. He even tried (With no luck) to land Charlie a recording contract and I get what he means. Charlie’s songs are all delivered with passion but…well, y’know, it’s hard not to think of his insane plot to wipe out everyone on the planet when you listen to the songs these days.
Guns ‘N’ Roses once covered Manson’s “Look At Your Game Girl” and that really is a pretty song A few of the other songs on this album are repetitive twangy out of tune hippie busker rants and well, I’m alright with that. Interestingly enough, ‘Cease To Exist’ was renamed ‘Never Learn Not To Love’, altered and covered by The Beach Boys. You can find it on their album “20/20”.
Ol’ Charlie should’ve really stuck with songwriting.
“Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings”. (1990). Artist: Robert Johnson. Why You Should Get It: Even if your entire record collection only consisted of the small amount of music Robert Johnson recorded in his short and mysterious life, you’d have one amazing record collection!
“Blue Monday” (12″ Single). (1983). Artist: New Order. Why You Should Get It: Because it sounds like THIS.
The Velvet Underground’s “Loaded”- The Fully Loaded Edition (1970):
Iggy Pop. “Lust For Life” (1977):
Guns ‘N’ Roses. “Appetite For Destruction” (1987):
At first glance I suppose these albums could look weird together but that’s what I’ve been listening to this week and if you think about it, they make sense together.
As well as the music, I really love the album artwork on all of those records.
Especially Dylan’s “Nashville Skyline” and Iggy Pop’s “Lust For Life”. I always have a laugh to myself when I see Iggy’s smiling face looking out from a shelf in a record shop.
The Unravelling Of Al Cook... 