The year 2001 has been a terrific period in music. We could perhaps do a more thorough job of reviewing it later; but since timeliness is important, too, let's jump right in.
2001 has featured some high-profile band
signings--Johnny A. to Favored Nations, Heidi to Warner Bros.,
Mary Lou Lord to Rubric, and Mistle Thrush to Ecstatic, to name
but a few.
In other news:
- Bleu won the 2001 WBCN Rock and Roll Rumble.
- Kay Hanley and Michael Eisenstein appeared on the Howard Stern Show.
- The Blood Oranges certainly took us by surprise when its members held a reunion. Same for the Blake Babies.
- The new Staind album ratcheted that group's fortunes up several notches.
- Former Extreme members, Nuno Bettencourt and Gary Cherone, have new bands--the Mourning Widows and Tribe of Judah, respectively--and fine new recordings to reward the faithful.
- Robin Lane and the Chartbusters reunited not once, but twice.
- Good heavens, even the Lilly Brothers, who were with us back in the early '50s, held a reunion!
- Mimi Farina, a wonderful '60s Harvard Square folkie and founder of the organization, Bread and Roses, died.
- Come members made that band's breakup official.
- Interesting new record labels included Catalyst, Co-Op Pop, and Stop, Pop, and Roll.
- The attacks on the Pentagon in the Washington, DC, area and the World Trade Center in New York City dealt a substantial blow to the world of arts and entertainment, as it did to many other areas of American life. Scott Alarik's account of the 2001 Boston Folk Festival, in the Boston Globe, really brought it home, as did other distinguished reports. The United States will fully recover; and, in my opinion, it is well on its way already toward healing.
- Another personal fave, DMZ, held a reunion.
- The career of Melissa Ferrick has blossomed, improbably, as she has passed first from a major label to an indie and then to self-publishing her most-recent record releases (with a new named, renamed, and re-renamed disc on its way).
- Dar Williams came out with a long-overdue live album, and it's a good one (more on that disc elsewhere on this page). Not to be outdone, one of her partners in Cry Cry Cryme, Richard Shindell, released his own concert set, and it is the best CD of his career (so far). Lucy Kaplansky, also of Cry Cry Cry, issued a new studio album, Every Single Day (CD, Red House, 2001). I just got to hear it for the first time and hope to review it for our Cry Cry Cry page. Kaplansky is a gifted singer with a smooth voice; and Ben Wittman's production is marvelous.
- We're awaiting physical evidence, but we understand that a group that was once a regular on the Pioneer Valley scene, the Medicine Band, reunited, recorded an album, and released it. And we understand further that the musicians in the studio included John Coster, Susannah Keith, and Jeff Pevar (of David Crosby's CPR and Jazz Is Dead fame). I just learned that some very early John Coster recordings -- specifically the Jacob's Reunion tapes -- have been found and could be reissued on CD at some
later time.
- Another Ellis Paul song, "Sweet Mistakes," was featured in a Farrelly Brothers' movie, Shallow Hal.
- Voices on the Verge, an informal trio for several years, released a terrific new CD and embarked on a 2001-2002 tour.
- Mr. Curt (Pastiche), who predates those events that predate the WBCN Rock and Roll Rumble, released a three-song single.
- Just days ago, the 1980s Boston rock band, the Drive, held what I think may be its first reunion ever.
- The Christmas Revels series is 30 years old. And, looking forward a bit, Banjo Dan and the Mid-Nite Plowboys, deans of Vermont's bluegrass circuit, will be celebrating the band's 30th birthday in or around March 2002.
- Before the year is out, the Boston Rock Opera will have
staged Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer. (Or, is it Rudolf?)
- News of planned Mission of Burma reunion shows in Boston and New York caused a great disturbance in the force.
- The Munjoy Hill Society, a popular Maine group, has disbanded; and Orbit, a long-running outfit, returned; but now, sadly, the members are preparing for their final shows.
- We have made an effort to keep up with the careers of Amy Correia and of the
bands Halfcocked and Reveille; but we have been disappointed by a
shortage of recent news about their careers. We were unable to
obtain review copies of their new albums. This echoes
similar frustrations we experienced last year in our attempts to
report on the work of Tracy Bonham.
- And finally, the greatest 1960s New England rock band, Boston's Barry and the Remains, has completed work on a new album. The Remains' debut was issued in September 1966 and the followup release should be out about 36 years later -- leaving even Tom Scholz of the group, Boston, to wonder why he can't
learn to be more patient. The number of years between the Remains' first and second albums has to be a world's record. This is one forthcoming release I'm really anxious to hear.
These are some highlights from our notes, but we are well aware
this review of the year, Twenty-Oh-One, is nowhere near
complete.
2001 has been an incredible time in music,
too, from my personal point of view. Around the first of the
year, I signed a free-lance contract with the Boston
Globe. Possibly around the same point -- certainly not much
later -- we abandoned Merry Melodeon, our old site, and started
laying the groundwork for the New England Music Scrapbook. Our
efforts to get our early pages indexed were met with many
obstacles. We were up and running by around April 1, 2001; and
that is the date we count as this site's birthday. Since then,
our pages have been visited, I think, around 7,000 times. (It's
been a while since I have gone through the site stats of our old
location systematically, but our next site statistics day is
coming up really fast.)
We have received a steady flow of e-mails,
some of them coming from musicians who we have long admired. We
have heard from members of Willie Alexander's various bands,
Augusta Furnace, the Bagatelle, Bamboo Gang, Banjo Dan and the
Mid-Nite Plowboys, Barry and the Remains, Birdsongs of the
Mesozoic, Boston Rock Opera (including regular cast members), the
Charles River Valley Boys, chelseaonfire, the Courage Brothers, the Crow, the Daring Angels, the Decentz, the Desert Hearts, Dragstrip Courage, the
Drive, the Elevators, Fox Pass, the Jeanne French Band, the
Laurie Geltman Band, Girls' Night Out, the Grass Menagerie, Ill
Wind, Jacob's Reunion, Keith and Rooney, the Kitchen Table, Knots
and Crosses, Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band, Sleepy LaBeef's band,
the Lifters, Limbo Race, Lip (a Niki Aukema band), the Lost, the
Love Dogs, Lucky 57, Lucky Stereo, Chuck McDermott and
Wheatstraw, the Medicine Band, Mistle Thrush, the Natives, Oak,
Jenny Paquette and North Country, Quivvver, the Stardarts, Didi
Stewart and the Amplifiers, the Story (formerly Jonatha and
Jennifer), Swallow, the Swinging Steaks, the Tangerine Zoo, the
Jennifer Tefft Band, Thee Wytches (admittedly a fictional band,
but we heard from one of the members anyway), Vasco da Gama, the
Velvet Underground, Violet Tide, Voices on the Verge, the Ware
River Club, the Lydia Warren Band, the Wayfaring Strangers, the
Wickermen, John Lincoln Wright and the Sour Mash Revue, Miss
Xanna Don't and the Willin', and probably many others that aren't
coming to mind because of the imperfection of my memory.
We've heard from writers for such publications as the
Beat, the
Boston Globe, the
Boston Phoenix,
Boston Rock,
Seven Days, the
Vanguard Press, the
Valley Advocate, and
Sweet Potato.
Yahoo! Geocities staff are good at many things; but giving a direct answer to a direct question is not among them. So when we ran into technical difficulties--specifically, we were locked out of our Web and e-mail accounts--we found that we had little recourse but to relocate to a new
address. (And this probably puzzles most folks, since our new
location also has a Geocities address. It's a long, boring
story. Trust me.) It won't be until sometime in 2002 that our
move will be truly complete. It's a lot of work. But we have
gained much, not the least of which is that this site is now
somewhat illustrated.
For me, personally, the passing of
Mickey O'Halloran back in March was the end of an era. He had given me much advice and encouragement, a little here and a little there; and it took a long time for much of it to sink in. Mickey's own online creation, of course, is the Boston Rock and Roll Museum (which, sadly, has since closed); yet it's doubtful this site would exist if not for his direct influence.
May Mickey O rest in peace.
(given in no particular order except the strictly alphabetical)
Asa Brebner
"The Roses I Never Bought You" on Best No Money Can Buy
(CD, Windjam, 2001)
Asa Brebner got his start in Mickey Clean and the Mezz, the legendary Boston garage-punk band that, evidently in September 1974, opened up the Rat (Rathskeller) in Kenmore Square for outfits playing original music (no small achievement in reshaping Boston's club circuit). A couple years later, he was recruited into Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers; and after that, he joined a new group, Robin Lane and the Chartbusters--a personal favorite. Since then, Brebner has served in a number of bands, and I believe he has about three ensembles going right now.
In 2001, Brebner released two CDs
simultaneously,
Best No Money Can Buy and the collection,
Time in My Way: A Retrospective of Asa Brebner (CD,
Windjam, 2001). We haven't heard the latter, but
Best No
Money Can Buy is a fine album. A garage-rock style is most
prevalent -- seemingly representing an updating and general
tightening of the Mezz's sound with an occasional country
inflection ("Break My Own Heart," sung as a duet with Kendra
Flowers, could be taken to reflect a John Lincoln Wright
influence). Brebner indulges his sense of humor on "Out of the
Frying Pan and into Desire," "You Stole My Woman," and several
others. Highlights include "Go Downtown," "Won't Wait for
Saturday," and the comic "You Stole My Woman." A pretty song,
"The Roses I Never Bought You," is a real gem. Now, beauty for
beauty's sake is not exactly the main theme of this album. Song
titles such as "Reasons for Murder" demonstrate that clearly
enough. But Brebner is a versatile songwriter and performer;
and, with the able support of a fine band (Alan Devine, guitar;
Andrew Mazzone, bass; Kevin Shurtleff, drums, vocals), he really
nails this '60s-style folk-rock song of unrequited love.
Contact: asabrebner.net
Catie Curtis
"Kiss That Counted" on My Shirt Looks Good On You (CD,
Rykodisc, 2001)
Catie Curtis' "Kiss That Counted," in my view, is
easily one of the best singles of 2001. It sounds great both on
my stereo and on the radio. I have heard the official recording-studio release, as well as two live-in-the-radio-studio tapes;
and I believe "Kiss That Counted" is going to boost Curtis'
career up to the next level. I don't mean to suggest, though,
that either Curtis or My Shirt Looks Good On You are one-hit wonders. This is a strong album, and the cover of Mark Sandman's "Patience" is another particular favorite.
Since we posted this, "Kiss That Counted" won the 2002 Boston Music Award as song of the year (indie label). -- A.L., 4/13/2002
Contact: www.catiecurtis.com
Paula Kelley
"Two Possible Answers (The Road)" on Nothing/Everything
(CD, Stop, Pop, and Roll, 2001)
This one almost got past me, because, as far as I
know, Paula Kelley has never issued the song as a single. "Two Possible Answers" wins our first-ever but otherwise much-coveted Teenage Symphony to God award. That phrase is attributed to Brian Wilson as a description of his mid-'60s Beach Boys songs; and this ambitious composition is certainly in a classic Brian Wilson/Burt Bacharach spirit.
After hearing Nothing/Everything,
you'd probably call me a liar if I told you that Kelley was once
a member of the Boston band, the Drop Nineteens; but that's
actually where she got her start. She has since served with
distinction in Boy Wonder, the Boyjoys (a Bee Gees tribute
group), and Hot Rod.
Nothing/Everything does well with
available resources; and Aaron Tap's electric guitar ably makes
its presence felt. Nonetheless, I often wonder what Paula Kelley
could do if she were to get to work with a Phil Spector-size
budget.
Contact: www.paulakelley.com
Lori McKenna
Pieces of Me (CD, Gyrox, 2001)
We have the reissue of Pieces of Me on the new Catalyst label. Since this disc arrived not long ago, it has
become a personal favorite. Though McKenna's fan base may center
on the folk/acoustic circuit, Pieces of Me is hardly a
folk recording. It has what might be called a 1990s alternative-pop ambiance to it. But if I were to try to pigeonhole this
album, I would simply place it in the excellent songwriting
category. The song "Fireflies" may be best known, having been
included in at least two fine compilations. I lean toward "Pieces of Me," "This Fire," "You Are Loved," and especially "Mars." But other listeners may find different favorites, and it seems quite likely and "Pink Sweater" have many admirers.
Lori McKenna has a spicy voice with a real
snap of energy in the way she attacks certain notes. She doesn't
play out much, as far as I know; and many music fans who would
love this album probably haven't heard her perform yet. Now, one
of the time-honored ways of writing up an artist who hasn't been
as widely exposed as she could be is to compare her voice,
songwriting, and performance style to a well-known artist of
reference; and therein lies a problem. If I were to take
that approach, I'd be comparing McKenna to musicians who aren't
as good as she is. But I'll spare you all that if you'll just
promise to buy the album and experience it for yourselves.
Alright?
Pieces of Me is a major
independent release.
Contact: www.lorimckenna.com
Stone Coyotes
Born To Howl (CD, Red Cat, 2001)
The singer/guitarist wrote a song that was a big
number for Delaney and Bonnie back around 1970, though 30 years
later her singing voice sounds like she's still about age 20.
The drummer, I swear, is around 60, yet he plays like a kid and
he's good, too. And the bass player explored youthful rebellion
by joining his elders' rock band. His instrument has a full
sound; and I can literally feel the vibrations right now,
though my amplifier is on a soft setting. These, my friends, are
some of the most plain, ordinary, mundane characteristics of this
truly extraordinary group.
The Stone Coyotes don't play a lot of shows; these musicians live 20 miles from here, and as far as I know they've never played this town. It doesn't seem to have hurt their record sales at all, though. On a recent swing through Texas, they sold 500 CDs in 8 days -- not bad when one considers that the Internet actually seems to be the major outlet for their record sales.
Catch 'em live if you can; but if you don't
own Born To Howl, your record collection has a gaping hole
wanting to be filled. Keep those platinum-selling acts that have
ridden the major-label star system for all it's worth. I'll take
Barbara Keith and company any day. ("Sorry, Mom and Dad -- this
may come as a shock; I just want to be the First Lady of Rock."
And that she is.) We love Born To Howl, and it is our Rock Album of the
Year. The great track, "American Child," is our Rock Anthem of
the Year.
I'm a little bit bored and a little bit wild
I'm looking for an American child
Give me Jerry Lee Lewis,
Give me Joey Ramone.
The members of the Stone Coyotes are Barbara
Keith, Doug Tibbles, and John Tibbles. Elmore Leonard is pretty
much their authorized biographer.
Contact: www.stonecoyotes.com
Voices on the Verge
Live in Philadelphia (CD, Slow River, 2001)
Live in Philadelphia by Voices on the
Verge reminds me a lot of compositions from the classical
repertoire such as the Messiah and Beethoven's Ninth
Symphony in that, while the whole is quite wonderful, a few
passages are especially strong with magic. The four singers
don't come together as often as they might; but when they do,
it's a wonder to behold. The blend of these voices ranges from
sweet to downright eerie. Each individual singer, too, has at
least one solo gem -- Beth Amsel's "Long Island Sound," Jess
Klein's "Little White Dove," Erin McKeown's "Blackbirds," and
Rose Polenzani's "You Don't Know." This CD was my introduction
to the music of Amsel and Polenzani, and I definitely like what
I've heard.
Contact: www.voicesontheverge.com
Wayfaring Strangers
Shifting Sands of Time (CD, Rounder, 2001)
We go into this disc elsewhere on this page. Please read
on.
Dar Williams
"Are You Out There" on Out There Live (CD, Razor and Tie,
2001)
I have been steadfast in my view that Green
World and Cry Cry Cry (the latter recorded as part of
a trio with Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Shindell) are Dar
Williams' best albums, with End of the Summer not far
behind. Now, she has tied together those albums and her earlier
efforts with something of a career retrospective, Out There
Live. A strong performance throughout, nonetheless a few
individual tracks rise above the others. "Are You Out There"
names two WRSI-FM
regulars in its chorus, Johnny Memphis (program director) and Jim
Olsen (of Signature Sounds); and on the basis of how wonderful it
sounds on the radio (on that very same station), we selected it
over other worthy contenders for our Top 10 list. The main
question about this live recording is what took her so long to
get to it.
Contact: www.darwilliams.com
Michelle Willson
"Wake Up Call" on Wake Up Call (CD, Bullseye Blues and
Boogaloo, 2001)
At one point, "Wake Up Call" was in such heavy
rotation on WRSI-FM, Western New England's superstation, that it
seemed like the River (WRSI's nickname) was going "all Michelle
Willson all the time." I don't actually know, come to think of
it, whether "Wake Up Call" was released as a single; but it
sounded fantastic on the radio. And whoever came up with the
idea of featuring a bass clarinet on it ought to win a special
Boston Music Award or Grammy.
Willson performs in an early rock style that
is not far removed from the small jump groups of the '40s and
early '50s. Judging from her touring schedule, it would seem
that she has a lot of admirers of her own; but it's worth adding
that fans of the Love Dogs and Roomful of Blues are likely to
appreciate Michelle Willson's music.
Contact: www.evilgal.com
Various artists
Wonderland (CD, Signature Sounds, 2002)
I reviewed the Wonderland collection in these very pages, so I'll just add that
this could be the most enjoyable Christmas album I've ever heard.
For sheer effectiveness of performance, Louise Taylor's "Let's
Make a Baby King" is as good as it gets. Erica Wheeler's vocal
on "Song for a Winter Night" is the best by her that I remember
hearing. She gives the melody a lonesome sound reminiscent of
certain early Bob Dylan recordings.
We have mixed albums with singles (or, in some
cases, with individual album tracks) for no reason other than
that it seemed the thing to do. And we've limited this list to
acts with some direct connection to New England. Two albums by
acts from elsewhere otherwise would have easily made our Top 10.
One is
Drum Hat Buddha (CD, Signature Sounds, 2001) by
Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer. These two are just too good to miss. If you haven't checked them out yet, you've got to do it. Make "No more self-denial" a New Year's resolution. And though Dave and Tracy aren't local, their record label, Signature Sounds, is (Whately, Massachusetts). The other remarkable album
we received from outside this region is
The Winds Begin To
Sing (CD, Shanachie, 2001) by
Karan Casey. We first heard her singing, from her Solas days, early this year when WRSI-FM put in a relay in our area. I've been listening to folk records
since the 1950s, and
The Winds Begin To Sing is one of the
prettiest folk albums I have
ever heard. We're not
completely sure, incidentally, that Casey doesn't qualify for our
pages. She's Irish, which we think may make her at least an
honorary citizen of Boston. We'll seek a legal ruling on that
and get back to you.
Wayfaring Strangers
Shifting Sands of Time (CD, Rounder, 2001)
The longest homerun in major-league baseball
history belongs to a member of the old Boston Braves. I don't
recall who it was; but in a home game, he hit a ball clear out of
the park, the ball landed on a train, and it came to rest in
Chicago. The Wayfaring Strangers did much the same; and that group's Shifting Sands of Time (CD, Rounder, 2001) is my Album of the Year.
Most recordings of the Americana of long ago
are failures, and the only question is how dismally do they fail.
Oh, there are a very few exceptions. Michael Tilson Thomas was
the conductor and musical director for a wonderful recorded
performance of the Gershwins' Of Thee I Sing and Let
'Em Eat Cake, and that 2-CD set comes quickly to mind; but
most such performances are doomed from conception, with musicians
of thoroughly inappropriate backgrounds being drafted into
music's dis-service. So I would have been quite happy if
Shifting Sands of Time had turned out to be merely pretty
good. But it didn't. Shifting Sands of Time is simply
wonderful -- easily among the best such recordings I have ever
heard and am ever likely to hear again. Matt Glaser, the central
figure in putting the whole thing together, richly deserves the
high praise that this album has brought him.
My review of
Shifting Sands of Time ran in the print and online versions of the
Boston Globe, was posted at the Wayfaring Strangers' Web site and this one, and is first on my list of writing samples. It may have had as much impact as I could have ever hoped. So rather than put what I've already written into different words, let me say, instead, how very much I admire the singing of Wayfaring Strangers vocalist,
Jennifer Kimball. She is one of today's finest singers, and her star ought to continue to rise high.
Kris Delmhorst
Five Stories (CD, Catalyst, 2001)
Kris Delmhorst is a highly respected singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Following her cohesive debut album, Delmhorst took a big step forward, as a recording
artist, with an informal but quite enjoyable EP, Oddlot
(CD, Big Bean, 2000). Now, she has lifted her art to the next
level with her second full-length disc, Five Stories. The
new record features a strong collection of songs, sharp vocals,
and fine arrangements. Diverse accompanists range from
Morphine's Billy Conway (who produced) to Jennifer Kimball
(formerly of the Story) to David Champagne (ex-Shane Champagne,
ex-Treat Her Right). Standout performances include the rootsy
dining lament, "Honeyed Out," the hypnotically murky "Just What I
Meant," and especially "Cluck Old Hen." Five Stories is
easily the best record of Kris Delmhorst's career to date; and
hers is our candidate for the act that showed the most impressive
growth in 2001.
Evidently Five Stories has allowed Kris Delmhorst to make an end-run around the mainstream music business to connect quite directly with her audience. For the past two months, our brief profile of her career has been among our Top 10 most-visited pages--a truly rare occurance for a singer-songwriter at this site. Delmhorst is a very popular young performer. -- Alan Lewis, 7/21/2002
Most Important Album
from the Land of the Lost
Willie Alexander and the Boom Boom Band
"Loco Live 1976" (CD, Captain Trip, 2001)
The Boston popular-music community took many
heavy hits from the late 1960s into the early 1970s. The
pivotal band, Barry and the Remains, broke up in the fall of '66
just when that outfit looked like it was about to triumph. The
great Club 47 in Harvard Square closed in April 1968, having been
driven out by the new rock music halls such as the Boston Tea Party. Then, places like the Tea Party went out of business in large part because the bands they popularized became too big to play rooms of that size anymore. And by the early '70s, Willie Alexander, one of the city's seminal figures, was off -- improbable as this may seem -- touring as a member of one of the last lineups of the Velvet Underground. Boston's club circuit still clung to life, but its pulse was weak.
In those same years, though, rock was
flourishing in city lofts, basements, and suburban garages. All
around Boston, the music-scene tinder was dry; and it was a
little single by Willie "Loco" Alexander that caused it to burst
into flames. So to speak. The Rat in Kenmore Square and the
Club in Cambridge started booking original '70s punk rock, and
Boston's rock community was reborn.
Recently, someone -- and I'm afraid I don't recall who -- decided to open a time capsule from 25 years ago, and the boon delivered unto the people of New England is Willie Alexander's Loco Live 1976 (CD, Captain Trip, 2001). Why we didn't get to hear this a couple decades ago is beyond me, but it's a lot better late than never. This disc is a time machine that takes us back to '76. It brings back DiY singles, James Isaacs columns, Cantones, and Miss Lyn's Boston Groupie News. It's great to finally get to give these recordings a listen.
The earliest tracks are from shows at the
Club in Cambridge, a couple months after Willie Alexander won the
Bicentennial Tournament of the Bands at that very establishment.
The vocals are mixed low, putting the emphasis on the loose-and-lively ensemble performances. Most of the rest comes from shows at the Rat (Rathskeller) in Kenmore Square just a month before the dates given for the
Live at the Rat (2 LPs, Rat, 1976) recordings. Both sets represent the classic Boom Boom Band, and the Rat recordings place Willie Alexander's eccentric and highly enjoyable vocals decisively out front. The last two tracks come
from the single, "Dirty Eddie" b/w "She Wanted Me" (45, Somor, 1978).
It's rough in spots, but I wouldn't want to
be without
Loco Live 1976.
We know Jane Fallon only from a two-year-old
compact disc, Faces (CD, self-published, 1999); but we
just received a copy, and on the basis of its recent arrival she
is the New England Music Scrapbook's Voice of the Year. Fallon's
voice has timeless virtues: it is crystal clear, wonderfully
flexible, accurate, has good color, and is effective over an
impressively broad range. She's not touring, as far as I know,
though she has made recent appearances here in Brattleboro,
Vermont (I knew nothing of her at the time and missed it), and
Cambridge, Massachusetts; but with her vocal ability and original
songs such as "Ashes," the humorous "I'm in Love," and my
favorite, "Round and Round," I'll certainly be on the lookout for
future releases.
Fallon's main venue these days may be the
Wadleigh Memorial Library in Milford, New Hampshire, where she
has a regular program. That institution is the holder of one of
the greatest treasures of American music history, the Hutchinson
Family Scrapbook. It was donated by one of the Milford library's
patrons, the late Ludlow Patton. And when my old Web site just
wasn't coming together and I decided to start all over again, I
borrowed the word, Scrapbook, from Ludlow's collection for part
of the name of this new site. I would be remiss if I failed to
acknowledge this debt to a great man (though he died long before
my mother and father were born) and the connection, at least
through proximity, to Jane Fallon.
Contact: www.janefallon.com
Reissue of the Year
Various artists
Erik Lindgren Sells Out (CD, Arf! Arf!, 2001)
Erik Lindgren Sells Out might very well
have been our Reissue of the Year, even if it had included
nothing but "Rough School Year" by Christen and the Notes -- an
extraordinary spoof on '60s pop-rock. Carrie B. Cooper and
Bonnie Kaleta, way back in Issue 7 of Boston Rock, called it
"outrageously tongue-in-cheek." This new disc puts "Rough School
Year" back in print, along with "One Right Way To Win Me" and
Willie Alexander's wonderful "In With the Outs" -- all three
appeared on The Boston Incest Album (LP, Sounds
Interesting, n.d. [1980]) a couple decades ago. One of Sells
Out's highlights is actually a memorable musical bit from a
commercial ("You can do it, we can help, at Grossman's"). Willie
Alexander's "Burning Candles" is a real gem -- and one we somehow
seem to have missed when it was originally released. It's great to have this music on compact disc.
Alan Lewis, 12/31/2001
Copyright © 2002 by Alan Lewis.
All rights reserved.
New England Music
Scrapbook:
Popular music,
past and present,
with a New England twist.
Webmaster: Alan Lewis