Old School Journeymen

"Kiss and Say Goodbye" may be the last of the Old School soul songs to top both the R&B and Pop charts. Dave Marsh once said that, I believe, and its held true some 30 years after it charted. The Manhattans weren't thought of as top tier Soul group icons until that release. And truth be told, after it, they weren't recognized either. If you could name the greatest Old School vocal groups you think of the Spinners, Stylistics, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Temptations, but you never mention the Manhattans. In fact, even after a listen to the Sweet Talking Soul (Shout), I'm still not convinced that they belong on top, but I still rank them on the 2nd level with Tavares, the Dramatics and the Chi-Lites. That's no knock on them. The Manhattans are the like the Jeffrey Osborne of Soul vocal groups, good, reliable journeymen who had only a few crossover hits but a bunch of R&B charters.

Sweet Talking Soul covers 1963-1990, but it really doesn't get going until 1973 when they signed to Columbia. Their Columbia years are neatly summarized on one disc comps, but here things dig a little deeper. The first disc covers their pre-Columbia years and is the least satisfying. You got Motown and Isley knockoffs and the Manhattans are still searching for their sound. But at Columbia, and especially with the underrated Gerald Alston, they hit a stride.
I'm still not ready to give them top tier, and this 45 song set could be cut in half and been stronger. But the Manhattans deserve to be remembered for more than their 2 crossover's, even if those 2 still define their legacy.

Hard Worn Out Country

"Between Jennings and Jones" sings Jamey Johnson on his 2nd major label album, and that's where you'll find him. Combining Jennings' concept albums of the mid-70's and Jones' The Battle, That Lonesome Song is a wearying look at Divorce and Country music, all of which Johnson is deep in. More a songwriter than singer, his deep baritone is lived in enough to pull off the album's best songs, the 6 minute "High Cost of Living" and the bitter "Mowin' Down The Roses". If this album were released on a small label, it would be on the Americana charts. Being on a major label, I fear, its going to get lost. There isn't anything resembling a hit single for today's mainstream radio stations. But this is hardcore Country that the major's rarely touch anymore.

31st Anniversary

Underrated Elvis song that I just heard on the 31st anniversary of his death:
I Was The One 1956

Still Looking For Trouble

Another anniversary of Elvis Presley's death and I often wonder if there is anything left to write about him. But I always find something. For years I used to complain that 2 of the most underrated things about his legacy. One was his vocals and two was his post-Army material. I'm happy to say that as for his vocals that has been remedied in recent years. Most people now rank him as one of the greats on a par with Sinatra and Aretha. As for his post-Army years, the pre-Army fans will tell you that Elvis never did anything good when he got out of the Military. Heck, some will tell you he never did anything good when he left Sun Records. Sure, his 60's stuff was tame compared to the 50's. The movies didn't help and neither did Elvis' lack of enthusiasm. So, it came that in 1968 he was primed for a reintroduction to the American musical public that had moved on to the Beatles and more experimental sounds of Rock and Roll. Luckily the Colonel's idea of just doing a Christmas music only special was nixed for something that was a mix of Sun and 50's meets 60's Elvis. And frankly I was hooked from the opening shot of a tanned Elvis snarling at the camera, "You looking for Trouble". This was the King that we missed.

The Special was a success and the comeback complete. What it did for me was put an end to the lie that Elvis never did anything good in the 60's. The best part of the show was the sit-down or unplugged segment. Elvis ran through his big hits, but drew fire on the cover versions. And while his 69 Vegas concerts were the last time he showed much interest in his own hits, on this special he does a mini concert in the round that has him tearing up songs he would later blow off in boring medley's. In a way, the Special vanquished all the bad stuff Elvis had done previous.

On the 40th anniversary, Sony/BMG has released a 4 Disc monster of a CD box, Complete 68 Comeback Special. The original show, sit-downs, production numbers and mostly anything that was done for the show. There's also a box DVD of this that's essential. This is a big package and a lot of Elvis. The casual fan can do with just the single disc Soundtrack. But the more curious could find a way to shell out a few extra bucks for the rest.

By the way, as someone who has a ton of Elvis product, this is my 4th edition of the special. There was the Tiger Man CD which had his sit down shows, and Memories which was an expanded version of the Soundtrack and finally, a Follow That Dream release of Burbank 68 which had the stand up show and some rehearsal stuff.

Rhythm, Blues & Wexler

His love of Soul music (he coined the phrase "Rhythm & Blues" in a Billboard article) made Jerry Wexler's legend. His production on the various R&B acts of Atlantic made his legend. When talking of that label Wexler often gets second billing to Ahmet Ertegun. It's only right since Ertegun founded Atlantic. But Wexler's signings of various acts and his hand in the Producer's chair is on a par with Ahmet's. Did you know that Wexler also produced albums for Dylan, Willie and Dire Straits? When Ertegun died I said he was the last of the 50's Record men. Wexler's death at 91 brings an end to the last of the 50's Music men.

Indie vs. Mainstream Cover Albums

Why do small Indie acts who aren't household release better cover albums than big name ones. I'm listening to the smartly produced Darrell Scott- Modern Hymns (Appleseed) release and at the same time looking at the track listing for a future James Taylor cover album. The differences are striking. Taylor's album, outside of a stray Dixie Chick song, sticks to the well-known, while Scott's, outside of a oft-covered Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon song, veers to the oddity. Indie acts aren't under the same pressure to sell records as a Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow or any other act under Clive Davis' wing. So when those people (or even a Country act like Martina McBride) go the cover route, labels want familiarity and sells. Indie acts take more chances in their selections.
Darrell Scott makes his money having his songs covered by Nashville mainstream artists. But he's also a recording artist, and his covers album has good obscure tracks written by Gordon Lightfoot, Hoyt Axton and Guy Clark to name some names you'll never see on a mainstream acts' album.
While some people cringe when an artist does a cover album, I usually enjoy them. But I want some weird choices mixed in with the old warhorses. Scott seems to feel the same way.

Playlist for 8/14

Carrie Rodriquez - She Ain't Me
Conor Oberst
Randy Newman - Harps and Angels
Boxmasters
Love Psychedlico - This Is
Mandi Perkins - Alice In No Man's Land

How Much For Walter Becker?

If you like Steely Dan's Jazz phase (which includes everything they've done post Gaucho) then Walter Becker's Circus Money will sound familiar. This is Becker's 2nd solo, and first since 1994, but it sounds just like a Dan record, only without Fagen's vocals. So, while Becker can't sing, there's enough humor here to liven up a record that straddles Jazz/Reggae.

But my initial reaction when listening to the album is who would buy something like this? I looked for it used and couldn't find it listed below $8, not including shipping. Would you pay $11 for an album by Becker, or anyone else for that matter. Becker is a wealthy guy, I assume, so selling your album at full price in today's climate doesn't make sense. Should guys like Becker and Steve Miller (who's recorded a bunch of Blues songs but won't release them because he knows no one will buy them like in the old days) just go the Radiohead route. I would imagine that the sales figures are pretty low for Circus Money. That's not saying its not good or should be given to you for free. But niche solo stuff by people like Walter Becker would have a better chance of getting heard if he and his company lowered the price to $5 and below.

Caught In A Teen Dream

Teen Idols make great singles but not great albums. At least until the boy band era of the late 90's. The Backstreet Boys and N'Sync and Britney Spears didn't just make great singles but made albums that still hold up today. You couldn't say that about the teen idols of yesteryear. Can you name a good album by the Donny Osmond (maybe the Osmonds) or David Cassidy. But at least Shaun Cassidy dropped one good album, that's never been released on CD in the States. In fact outside of "Hey Deanie", one of the best teen idol songs ever was never a single, Cassidy's "Teen Dream." Capturing the joys of youth before adulthood its a great song.

Now, 10 years later Disney has resurrected the teen idol movement and its prize staples are Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. To me Cyrus is making good singles and her latest is a good album, but the Jonas Brothers are the ones on the verge of something bigger. When I heard that it was a combo of Cheap Trick and Power Pop, my ears perked. I like Cheap Trick but love Power Pop, and even if the Brothers don't know much about its history their songs do. Little Bit Longer straddles the obvious teen idol line. Songs about girls, maybe one about life, but they are too young to go any other route. But not too young. Ages 15, 18, 20 are not all teen idol ages. Fifteen maybe, but the other boys are gonna grow up fast. On this new album they still hew to the obvious subjects with tight Pop/Rock. How long will they last before they experiment? Will the kids follow? And will us adults follow?