For the Junk Drawer

So, Its been awhile since we checked in with some good junk for your jones.

First off...you can't get this in stores (yet) but I just caught Midnight Masses. My boy Eric plays guitars and I admit I've been fronting on them for a minute. Imagine the beach boys doing goth rock with thrashing guitars at a funeral. Good stuff...even if it sounds creepy. They have no more NY shows this year...but check 'em out soon as you can.

Okay down to business what have wee been coating our eyes and ears with recently?

THE FEELIES - CRAZY RHYTHMS - I've been a big Feelies fan since that old 80s flick The Smithereens (you don't know it? loser.)Out of print for a minute, Bar None wisely re-releases this post-punk essential complete with downloadable extras (why not just put 'em on the CD?). "The Boy With The Perpetual Nervousness", "Fa Ce La", and "Original Love" have been long time faves. Eccentric Jersey nerd rawk from the golden age of post-psych, post-punk rock experimentation.

IGGY & THE STOOGES - RAW POWER - This was the first Stooges album I owned. And I came onto it real late in the game after Iggy had remixed it. I'm also a Bowie fan (not the biggest, I more respect dude than get all giddy over his music). There was of course the period in which Bowie and Iggy were collaborating and it made me really want to hunt down the original version of this album which Bowie mixed. I finally found it on a recent trip to Amoeba Records. And you know what? The Bowie mix sucks goat balls. He turned the Stooges rhythm section into a very polite affair with barely noticeable kick drums. So why am I talking about it? It makes me appreciate Iggy's mix that much more...but also goes to prove sometimes its great when an artist can get back in and tweak an already classic album.

DESIRE - SELF TITLED I'm a big fan of the Italians Do It Better label. Their brand of light disco rock somehow affects me a lot more than the last ten years of mediocre house music. Produced by Johnny Jewel of The Chromatics and Glass Candy (both on the same label). This is more moody music that makes you uncertain if you should dance or if you should curl up on a couch and cry about some bullshit. The thing I love about the singers on the label is that quite honestly most of them aren't great (well actually I think Ruth Radelet of The Chromatics is actually quite good), but there's an emotion and aesthetic that just works with Jewel's lazy moody production. Not a classic...but a great listen while we wait for The Chromatics' follow-up album.

AUGUSTUS PABLO PRESENTS ROCKERS INTERNATIONAL 2 - I haven't whipped this album out in a long minute. This was the first Pablo record I ever bought. And I'm on my second copy due to sneak-thievery. I hate it when music writers say "....is worth the price of admission alone". But Jah Levi's (Pablo protege Hugh Mundell's toasting alias) Selassie I Veranda is probably the only place that tired phrase really works. So sez me. Not sure its still in print on CD, but worth looking for if you like your roots reggae heavy complete with dub versions blessed by Augustus Pablo's haunting melodica.

MOVEES

Okay I'll keep it short...this post is already running long and I have a lot of loafing to do.

THE EVIL THAT MEN DO - Hen's Tooth in their wisdom released my favorite Charles Bronson movie. What's it about? I dunno. Bronson killing chumps. Seriously though nice little forgotten 80s political action thriller based on the political turmoil in Central and South America (a little discussed sub-genre of 80s films) complete with Bronson's signature "I can't act...I just kill people with perfected nonchalance" bit. You can't lose...if you're into that sorta thing.

MEET THE FEEBLES - I pawned my original copy of this because it didn't have chapter selections (I know...what can I say I'm a geek) and it drove me mad. Such is the way of grey market releases. This is one of Peter Jackson's earlier films. I found a used copy while flipping through stacks of crap. The guy next to me saw me grin when I pulled it out the bin and declared "NICE!! That movie is so vile" Yes it is. Imagine the Ego Trip editorial staff making a feature length episode of The Muppets (this is years before the Dave Chappelle Sesame Street parody and Greg The Bunny). More eye rot.

Okay das all....

P.S. sorry no images...Blogspot's been acting all crazy won't allow uploads. Had the ill Feebles screenshot too. Oh well.