Bradley's Buzz

This Week's Random 7

This week's random 7 CDs include some old favorite with newer albums, some old favorites with their classic albums , some brand new favorites - and interestingly enough a number of songs about cheating and numerous penis references~

MORNINGWOOD - Morningwood
Rarely do I buy an album where I've never read, heard anything about or even know who the band is, but when I was shopping at Tower a few months ago, this CD was on sale for $10. It was on a display with a few other newer indie type bands and I have to admit the name of the band and the cover intrigued me. I love rock chicks and I thought the singer bore a striking resemblance to Hedwig & The Angry Inch. So I bought it and within two days their single "Nth Degree" was all over. It's a great song, a little synth dance number with a chant of the band spelling out their name, but it's not reflective of the album as a whole, which is really a pretty balls to wall type of rock album. There are a few more syth styles added but the rocking songs are what make up the CD, and though it wasn't one of my favs when I bought it this debut album is definitely getting to me.. I think a few more listens and I may be sprouting.


MARIANNE FAITHFULL - Broken English
I had heard of Ms. Marianne from her countless downfalls in the press in the 60s - once a high octave diva singing Rolling Stones covers all that changed with this 1979 album. I first discovered Broken English after reading about it in one of the Women In Rock books which talked about the song "Why'd You Do It" and once I read the great review I immediately found a copy. On and off my CD player since then, I had to take this out for a spin this week and it's just as good as I remember it. Gone is the sweet Faithfull of the 60s replaced with punkish dance rock, a cigarette filled voice and attitude personified. All you have to do is listen to the moody "The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan" about a mother's breakdown, or the aforementioned kiss off - "Why'd you do it she said/ why'd you let her suck your cock?..." and that's only the beginning!

LIZ PHAIR - Whitechocolatespaceegg
My favorite Liz album by a long shot, for some reason this is the album I love the most. "Polyester Bride" is one of the best tracks she has ever done, and with songs about being beaten around ("but I liked it, yeah I liked it more and more"); this is the classic mixing of early brash indie Liz and her later pop leanings.


BELLE & SEBASTIAN - The Life Pursuit
I first came to know Belle & Sebastian when my pal Patrick put "Lazy Line Painter Jane" on for me. As I was preparing for a bus trip to Los Angeles, he said the song reminded him of me (you will find a boy tonight/ on the first bus out of town). I bought a few Belle & Sebastian albums since and enjoyed them but it was Dear Catastrophe Waitress which hooked me, and then lo and behold a new album came about earlier this year. The Life Pursuit is just as good as Waitress and then some. Great tracks like "Sukie In The Grave Yard" and "The Blues Are Still Blue" show what a great and diverse band this is. The music kicks ass, the lyrics are completely witty and the songs are actually very catchy. Highly recommended!


THE DITTY BOPS - The Ditty Bops
I don't know how to describe The Ditty Bops except perhaps maybe a bit like a band you might see in those old travelling carnival shows. Full of little music interludes featuring accordians and acoustic guitars, these girls tell pain stakingly stories of death and love with the utmost sense of morbid humor. Featuring lines like "you can find the meaning of life in the barrel of a shotgun.." this is not the teenagers pop song butI love them. I first saw the video for "Wishful Thinking" on Logo and immediately ran out and got the album. Now I can shimmy like my sister Kate as I dance with the Dittys.


PAT BENATAR - Go
Pat's 2003 album features that signature Benatar sound only updated for the masses. Opening with the rocking and surprisingly modern sounding title track, there is something to be said for a gal who can still kick some rock & roll butt after twenty some years. She even has a little waltz about lovers in 1940s Germany, a very lovely ballad called "Please Don't Leave Me" and some fairly dreamy sequences. Of course I'm all about the sassiness and rock and of course my girl delivers, only in a more adult way than say the "Treat Me Right or I'll kick your ass 1980 Pat" instead she says, "You think you can walk on water/ you better be careful it gets pretty deep.."

and the outstanding member of these week's 7 is a member I'd like to get my hands on

once again we have Wheatus!


WHEATUS - Suck Fony
Once again we have a Wheatus album and let me just say I have totally fallen head over heels in love with Brendan Brown, the singer and main member of the band. Actually it's him and his brother but Brendan does his Nick Gilder high singing and writes the lyrics which are always, always astounding. Suck Fony was actually supposed to be the band's second album for the Sony label but they dumped it, and the band got pissed. They re-recorded some songs added some bitchier songs including a cover of Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" and released this album on the internet. I can't recommend it enough. Like I said I'm in love with the boy - featuring songs of self humiliation, betrayal and plain old pissiness, it's like he's tapped right into my life. It just doesn't get any more honest when songs like "Lemonade" an ode to a cheating girlfriend asks the question, "Just tell me his name/ just tell me you didn't get laid in our bedroom/ tell me it's the same/ Tell me is his dick bigger than mine?" and awesome declarations of pissiness in songs like "The Song That I Wrote When You Dissed Me". Self depreciation and anger have never sounded so enticing - buy it, buy it now, and Brandon if you're reading this; call me.

posted by swivek @ 10:59 PM