Bradley's Buzz

Random CDs

This week we take a crack at some new bands, some new CDs, some old favorites and some crazed gay rockers; you know the typical week here at Bradley's Buzz - so let's move it on up with our Random CDs of the week

TORI AMOS – Little Earthquakes (1991; Atlantic)
Opening up with the brilliant “Crucify” and one of my favorite lines ever (I’ve got so much guilt I could start my own religion), this is the ultimate in the Tori experience. Sure, she’s gone on to other things including a fairly brilliant turn at a more electro style but for the most part Tori has tended to bore me as the years go by. I know there’s a ton of Torifanatics out there ready to lynch me but I can’t help it. Little Earthquakes is a brilliant album and nothing else in her catalog really compares. My ultimate favorite on the entire album is “Tear In Your Hand” which is probably the most poppy and filled song on the album, (I think she’s just pieces of me that you’ve never seen) but the piano intro of “Silent All These Years” and its excellent take on a bored housewife theme, at least to me, it’s like an update of “The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan” to me, and it’s a testament to know that will only a piano backing, this song is one of the most powerful things ever recorded – so you found a girl who thinks really deep thoughts/ well what’s so amazing about really deep thoughts/ boy, you best pray that I bleed real soon/ how’s that thought for you. Brilliant, vindictive, pissy, everything I like. “Precious Things” with its story of teen anguish, feels like I lived the whole song with Tori (I want to smash the faces of all the beautiful boys/ those Christian boys/ so you can make me cum that doesn’t make you Jesus). “Happy Phantom” with its happy little piano chord and not so pleasantries is a gem. The acapella horror of “Me & A Gun” still resonates all these years later, particularly when you find out it is a true story. When this album came out I hadn’t really heard anything like it before. Sure, there’s Kate Bush but this new breed Tori was just a little more edgy. Of course the entire time Tori has been recording, Kate was taking a sabbatical and I wonder if Kate just got bored of listening to Tori as well and that’s why she finally came out of the woodwork. Well, no matter what this album stands the test of time as one of the best albums ever released. (5 Bradleys)

VIOLENT FEMMES – Violent Femmes (Slash; 1983)
I can’t believe how old this album really is, opening with the classic (yes classic) “Blister In The Sun” which had it ever been an official single would’ve made it into the top 10 of my top 80s singles, but alas this gem didn’t get released but everyone certainly knows it. With its acoustic drum and bass and Evan Dando’s whispers this stands as a testament of all that is good in independent music. “Kiss Off” and its “I hope you know this will go down on your permanent record” also comes into play as one of the best songs. After all you take 1, 1 cuz you left me and 2, 2 for my family… “Add It Up” gives us the immortal lines, “why can’t I get just one fuck/ I guess it has something to do with luck” and “don’t shoot shoot shoot that thing at me…” it’s practically genius. It’s one raw rocking gem after another with a ballad or two thrown in for mix and ending with the awesome ballad “Good Feeling” which did get some airplay in Wausau, though it was in 1994 on the ‘alternative rock’ station. Incidentally, I can’t listen to Violent Femmes without reminiscing about a party I had once where a girl was puking in the bedroom while the album was playing, I went into the room to check on her and her boyfriend and in between her splashes of vomit into the bowl she yelled, “Tell Brad to quit singing. I can’t handle it right now.” I hate her still. (5 Bradleys - I can't help it)

PRETTY IN PINK SOUNDTRACK (A&M; 1986)
I love this movie, I love Molly Ringwald, I love that she worked at a record store, I love her car, Annie Potts, Jon Cryer, Andrew McArthur, and all the music on this CD. Opening with OMD’s “If You Leave” it only goes up from there. “Left Of Center” by Suzanne Vega is the anthem of anyone who ever left on the side lines of the main stream, New Order’s “Shell Shock” – The Smiths brilliant, “Please Let Me Get What I Want”, and my favorite “Wouldn’t It Be Good” (wouldn’t it be good to be in your shoes/ even if it was for just one day), “Bring On The Dancing Horses”, the always welcome “Pretty In Pink”, I mean really isn’t she? This is pretty much my teenage life caught on CD. Now I need to go out and buy that new version of the DVD that came out. (4 Bradleys - Pat Benatar should be on every compilation from the 80s)

STEFY – The Orange Album (Wind Up; 2006)
A friend of mine really likes this new band out of Orange County and so I heard the first single “Chelsea” in its electronic rock glory and decided I’d hunt down a cheap copy of it. So I did and tho and behold it came in less than 2 days – Stefy is a band but Stefy is also Stefy Rae the lead singer of this little outfit. Utilizing her inflections like Gwen Stefani, I have a feeling that ghost will follow this girl everywhere she goes. The album as a whole is fairly catchy and sticks with you after that last chord is played, the problem is it’s not all that wonderful to have stuck with you. The lead single is great, then we get “Hey School Boy” a song I also like but try as much as I can to wrap myself around “Orange County” I’m just having trouble. Part ballad part electronic opus it’s a story song of privileged boy and girl meeting, falling in love, losing everything when she gets pregnant, well not exactly everything for the chorus tells us – we’ve still got our MTV, JayZ and Gwen Stefani/ Tivo for my sweet 16….” You get it. At one moment I think it’s funny and then the next I’m a little ticked off for it seems I’m an areaist and I can’t stand the OC. The minute I cross that border it’s like the life is sucked right out of me. It’s very strange and this girl is all about the OC – there’s “Orange Crush”, the aforementioned song, and the color orange pops up over and over again. I think it’s supposed to be cute but I’m just not digging it. I think the problem is the lyrics cause the music is all really good and infectious but this 20 year old just hasn’t suffered or lived enough to tell me anything I could care about. The band’s influences seem to be Blondie and Gwen and you all know that Debbie and her boys can wrap a lyric around a high-speed chase and make it the most exciting thing in the world. Even Gwen in her OC glory had been around the block a bit and was able to create love stories with epic and sometimes disgusting results – “Bathwater” and “Don’t Speak” are practically ingenious compared to this. The Sounds seem to me to have the same problem, excellent hooks but the lyric writing is lackluster and I’m big on lyrics and like I said I want to like it, I really do. and there are some pretty cool moments, I really love the chorus on "Lucky Girl" though I'm not clear on the rest of the song. But rest assured, I’m gonna keep listening to Stefy until I hear what’s there. Until then, I have to apologize not to Stefy but to Shae, for not liking it as much as I wanted to and as much as I'm sure he wanted me to. (2 1/2 Bradleys)

PANSY DIVISION – The Essential (Alternative Tentacles; 2006)
Now this is more my speed – 30 hard rocking raw punky takes on gay sex, politics, friendships and lovers – if you’re looking for the ultimate queer punk I can’t direct you anywhere else but here. There’s The Cocksucker Club, Bunnies, Homo Christmas, James Bondage, Luv Luv Luv, I Can’t Sleep, Denny, all the greats from one of my all time favorite bands of all times; the only thing I don’t like is there aren’t any of their excellent covers on here but those are still available on More Lovin’ From Our Oven so I guess that’s okay. By the way did I ever tell you all about the time Jon Giloni kissed me? That’s right I am only a flick of the tongue from being a queer punk boy myself. (4 Bradleys) Oh, by the way the disc comes with a bonus DVD disc that has frickin' videos! Sure, they are low budget and are taken from Public Access, but there is one official video and plenty of fun to be had.Including this one at You Tube

GWEN STEFANI – Love Angel Music Baby (Interscope; 2004)
Lest you think I was too harsh on a pseudo Gwen, even the real thing can be knocked down a few pegs. I was so looking forward to Love Angel Music Baby when it hit the shelves, but like a lot of other people I was a tad disappointed. Like Stefy’s The Orange Album there are moments of fun and greatness, as simplistic as it is once you hear “Hollaback Girl” the song is stuck in your consciousness for days, but like Stefy, I’m not sure if that’s a good thing. What I love about this album is the music, it’s fun and exciting and trippin’ in that oh so cool fashion ghetto diva way that Gwen was courting at the time. But like the other album, the lyrics are somewhat childish. Gwen can kick it up as she proved in No Doubt, but how am I supposed to be utterly taken in to song like “Rich Girl” when I know without a doubt that umm Gwen you are a rich girl. Same with some of the songs that reflect a little too much on her Harajuku girl obsession. I’m starting to think she’s one of those reverse racists… but then again none of this stops me from dusting off the album every now and again and throwing it on the stereo. Much like today, where I was swept into Gwen’s little world of fashion, teen love and Japanese chicks. Plus even with “Hollaback” firmly entrenched in my mind now, so is “Bubble Pop Electric” and damned if I didn’t wish I was a rich girl. (3 Bradleys)

AND FOR THE KILLER, THE RELEASE I’VE WAITED FOR – THE BEST OF THIS WEEK’S BUNCH –
SCISSOR SISTERS – Ta Dah (Universal/Motown; 2006)
If you were to mix a blender of Elton John, Robbie Williams, ABBA, Hedwig & Velvet Goldmine, I think the glass you poured would be filled with five Scissor Sisters. That’s right this band is so damn good it takes seven or eight other people to combine them. I loved the first album, every single cut was a practical masterpiece and I so wanted to be able to create an album like that. When it was announced that poor Jakey Poo had some problems dealing with sudden fame etc. and the new album was going to be darker, I was a tad more excited. Alas the darkness of Scissor Sisters is nothing compared to the darkness of say Morrissey. You will still find fun clubbing going on in Ta Dah, in fact even the more “dark” lyrics are still sped forth with such sarcasm and excitement, it’s still fun. The lead off track and single “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’” has me up on the floor in no time. Very Bee Gees, very Elton (he even plays the piano) and very Scissor Sisters. It’s excellent. All the songs continue to come in and out like a New York subway train. But what I love is that the SS’s aren’t just there to make you dance; this is an album full of contradictions. They’ll pull in a rag time song and I’ll still be singing along as “we all were born to die,” and then they’ll move right into the smooth club electro of “Kiss You Off” – probably my favorite track at this time. Ta Dah! isn't quite as infectious as the debut album but I think I'm beginning to like it more and more as I listen to it. The shifting music, the crazy fanatical lyrics, it's going to get some steady airplay around here that's for sure. If you haven’t discovered this super cool band yet, get off your ass and hit the store. You are going to love it! I, on the other hand am now mad at that damn Trent dude from Pink is the New Blog again. This time because someone scored him some tickets to the sold out Scissor Sisters concert last night. I drank and drank and drank myself silly on Monday night waiting for this stupid raffle to end at Rage so I could get my free tix! Did I get them? Ummm I don’t feel like dancin’ or tellin’. (4 Bradleys and I’ll give it up for Jake if he wants)

Playing in the car stereo - SWIVEK - darkness + light (2006; Flexible)

posted by swivek @ 10:57 AM 1 comments

Undeniable Bliss

The Leivas : "Is your health insurance from work free or do you have to pay something?"

Me: "It's free, but I have to pay dental. Remember when I said my check was smaller and couldn't figure it out well apparantly...."

five minutes later: The Leivas: "My insurance is really great. I haven't had to pay for any of my tests."

Me: "Great. You know I had to pay all that money for my surgery, and that was only really small....."

Ten minutes later: The Leivas: "If you don't take your company insurance will they give you the money instead?"

Me: "Well I don't know. Why are you asking me all this?"

The Leivas: "I was just thinking, if they gave you money then we could do that civil ceremony and you could get on my insurance."

Me: "Oh my gawd, this must be how the Cissell felt when Brad proposed to her by asking her if she wants to get hitched cause it would be easier to buy a house."

The Leivas: "Where are you going?"

Me: "I'm going online to find me an engagement ring you big sweet talker."

posted by swivek @ 1:54 PM 3 comments

Happy ONJ

Apparantly, yesterday was Miss Olivia Newton-John's birthday and I was too completey hung over to really enjoy it - but that doesn't mean Livvie can't touch you today - because as of last Tuesday, you can now buy the definitive DVD version of Grease! That's right the Rockin' Rydell version is out and I got mine for a measely $15 at Tower - complete with commentary by the director and choreographer, a ton of extras including little interviews of John & Olivia at the NBC Party held the day of release in 1978; a bunch of outtakes from the 20th Anniversary Party - a bunch of stuff from the DVD launch a few years ago including the whole cast singing songs on stage, but the biggest thing is that you get the damn movie which is a classic if there ever was one...

and just for the fun of it, I happen to be listening to Livvie's classic 1981 album Physical as I write this; so I may be a day late but I'm sure Livvie is very understanding and can see that I'm forgiven. After all, I am hopelessly devoted to the girl.

posted by swivek @ 2:01 PM 0 comments

Swivek Trivia

well, why not?

So here we go - a bunch of little things you never needed to know but I'm going to tell you anyway.

• The name Swivek came about when I was a little kid and had a band named the Cats with four friends, I wanted something cool but they didn't like it. When I decided to do music with Patrick, I didn't want my name as the moniker because I figured written by/ produced by/ art by/ cover shot by/ all instruments by/ singing by all me would be a bore. As for the actual word, if you look it up online it seems to be used as a tool but I think people just misspell the word swivel a lot. I thought I heard my father use the word while either working on the house or on a car; but as far as I can tell, it's completely made up.
• Real People in Swivek songs - sometimes someone pisses me off so much or makes me so giddy I just have to put them into song - so here is a list of songs that are inspired by or written about real life people - "Real" (Drab), "Psycho Trip", "Bitter Tears", "The Other Side", "Factory", "Bernice", "Winter" (Pissant), "Live Love Be Free", "Wish", "Outside", "Mexican God", "Speaking In Tongues", "Life" (Mexican Gods), "Thoughts Of You (Fly)" (Wish single), "Too Wonderful", "Voodoo Lounge" (Bruised), "Boyfriend", "Just Go" (Spastic Valentino single), "Debbie Doesn't", "Anything At All" (Happiness Is Hard), "Wasteland" (Army Fatigue), "Pissed", "Can't Say No To That", "Johnny Misunderstood", "Need" (Darkness + Light) and "Come Alive" from Army Fatigue is written for someone but Charles Mason wrote the lyrics and I'm not sure who it was written for. Incidentally, "Bernice" is a real convenience store clerk in Couer d'Alene and not my sister Denice who we have affectionately called Bernice.
• Not Really - Songs that sound like they could be about someone I know but are completely made up are "Eva", "Spastic Valentino", "Cherry Go Go", "Little Miss Priss", "Holly wood" and any other pissy love anthem that sounds like its aimed at someone.
• The song "I'm Gonna Getcha" from Mexican Gods is an ode to Blondie and references 8 Blondie songs - "11:59", "One Way Or Another", "Hanging On The Telephone", "Accidents Never Happen", "Detroit 442", "(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear", "Die Young Stay Pretty" and the Debbie sung single "Little GTO"; the song "Debbie Doesn't" written about Debbie and I meeting only references two Blondie items - the single "Presence Dear" and the album title Plastic Letters.
• Cover Me - Swivek has recorded and released 8 cover songs - "Fade Away & Radiate" by Blondie (Drab), "Guilt" by Marianne Faithfull (Mexican Gods), "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" by Stockard Channing from Grease (Bruised), "Where The Boys Are" by Lisa Hartman, "Girls Talk" by Elvis Costello (Happiness Is Hard), "Heartless Love" by Maree J. Wilson, "Surrender" by Cheap Trick, "Billy & The Gun" by Rachel Sweet (Army Fatigue). We've also recorded covers of Blondie's "In The Flesh" & "Island Of Lost Souls" and Pat Benatar's "We Live For Love" but they didn't quite make it to a release.
• The Leivas wrote most of the music for the song "Boyfriend" from the Spastic Valentino single. I wrote the lyrics as an ode to the man.
• Orange Television has remixed at least one song from every single Swivek album from the 'Waiting at the Cove Bowl Mix' of "5:50" in 1999 to the 'Fluid Pill Mix' of "Pissed" from last month.
• The very first song I ever wrote as Swivek was "5:50" - in the darkened basement of Patrick's house in Coeur d'Alene, while I waited for him to come home from work.
• The cover of Happiness Is Hard is really me as a little boy. In fact if you look you can see it's my 5th birthday party, the boy next to me is my cousin Danny.
• The title Violating Overween Skies for the remix album by Swivek and Orange Television was named by Patrick - it's actually an acronym of Swivek and Orange Television. He did the same thing with the Orange Television remix of "Debbie Doesn't" called the Head Bribery Mix (acronym for Debbie Harry); and I did it with the first album Drab - which is of course my name - but that one wasn't quite as complicated as the ones he did.
• My old boss is the one who suggested making the cover of "Where The Boys Are" a techno dancey song - he envisioned a video with a bunch of hot boys on Santa Monica Boulevard - I never did get the money for that video shoot.
• The Leivas didn't actually physically assault me for the cover of Bruised - instead it's all make up and I did all the photos myself with a timer as I climbed into closets and almost choked myself for one shot by putting a pair of boots around my neck. That shot didn't turn out.
• For the cover of the single Holly wood, I am not actually laying on the sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard; instead I'm laying in front of the cul-de-sac filmed for Knots Landing. The real boulevard is always too crowded so I just super imposed the pic.
• The most downloaded song in the Swivek catalog is "Get Up On It" which gets hits every single month since I put it on www.soundclick.com in August of 2005.

and that's all I can think of for now; but I'm sure all of this will come in handy for you one day - I just feel it.

oh, here's a few more:

• The covers for the albums Drab & Pissant and the EP Rhinelander, are not the original covers made for them. Patrick and I designed the original Drab cover which featured a black cover with a lit cigarette peaking in, the back was a pic of me in a red and blue coat and the inside had a pic of me in the shower. However, when I moved to LA all that artwork was lost and Alfred redid the design you see today. I still have the original and like it a lot more actually. The original Pissant cover was by Patrick and was an image of a dirty ashtray with some brown imagery on the back - there is only one copy in existance and it belongs to my pal Tara, so if you really want to see it and are anywhere near Seatle I'm sure she has it on display - I'm sure. Again, Alfred created the artwork we now use; and Rhinelander was done by Patrick again with some cute boy on the cover but that artwork was lost as well, so I made the new version with a pic of me in a top hat at Disney land and the cover featuring that mythological beast the Hodag.
• There are two songs by Swivek that don't feature Brad at all - the song "Tower Of Knowledge" from Drab features Tara Fisher on vocals and Patrick playing all the music, though I did write the lyrics. The second song is the 18 minute opus "Rhinelander" from the EP of the same name - it's a short story I wrote but Patrick did all the music and is reading the story though it's completely manipulated to sound like someone else.
• The cover of the Mexican Gods album actually features pics of Mexican gods, though I can't recall what they are gods of and the middle one is actually female so I guess she's technically a goddess. I came up with the design though it was Alfred who found the great gold background and actually did the work in designing it.
• and one more about album covers, the cover of the Cherry Go Go single was designed by Patrick, though I re-designed the inside and back. On the cover is Candy Darling, one of Warhol's gals.

posted by swivek @ 4:30 PM 1 comments

Darkness Dissected

It's Swivek week here at Bradley's Buzz - all posts, all Swivek, all days... so with that idea I have decided to give you the Swivek fans what we, the Blondie fans never get from Debbie - a breif (yeah right) look at the individual songs on the new album darkness + light! Yes, the why, who and what of the 12 songs picked for this rambunctious release that I know you have all downloaded and listened to by now - take your time with those comments and reviews, but get them to us as soon as you can ....

The Album -
I have wanted to be a rock singer since I was but a wee tyke, and though I never actually got a band together or anything, I did write lyrics upon lyrics and usually had the mental sound of what I wanted the song to sound like. Once I met Patrick English in Idaho and we discovered Acid Pro and loops, I was finally able to make music and even make CDs with my mug on them - how I loved it. But in the early days of the loop biz all of the loops were electronic and fuelled by the electro clash movement which was fine but not the way I necessarily wanted to go. These days, there are loops available for the one man rock band and that's how it got started with this album. Finally, I was going to make the rock album I wanted to make and nothing could hold me back. However, once I started working on tunes I realized an all out rock out would tend to sound a tad too samey so at the same time that Patrick emailed me to see if I wanted him to do some songs for him, I emailed Patrick to see if he wanted to some songs for me. We were obviously on the same level, and his electronic booms were going to go great with the rock guitars and riot boi act I was creating. Plus with Patrick on board, his record executive intuitiveness was going to come into play and he could help weed out the bad songs, improve the good songs and generally tell me what and where to put the stuff... and so after finishing about 16 songs, we got the 12 that made it to the finished album.

The Songs
01. darkness + light - the perfect opener, and not just because it's the title track but it's also the very first song I wrote for the album and the first song Patrick heard when I sent him the songs. I bought a Garage Rock loop package and was listening to a lot of the Gossip and Wheatus when I started the album. Of course I was still on my pissy Army Fatigue bag so this one lyrically is a kind of hybrid love song/political bash citing both the bad bad boy who never did any good and that bad bad boy in the White House who also never did any good, but I wanted the album to have a bit of a happy tone as well (i.e. darkness + light) and that's why by the end of the chorus, I know we're all going to be allright. When I started working on this one and came up with the title and lyrics I realized that the title would make a great album title as well, so I decided from that very first song the album would be called darkness + light, whether or not this song actually made the final cut - luckily, after much problems in the singing dept. I was able to complete it - an organ solo, a couple "aaahs" and guitars all over and it was done.

02. Pissed - The second instrumental piece Patrick sent me after we started working together. I love the pulsing vibe and the breakdown he put through out the song. Whenever I start a new song, I go through my huge pile of old lyrics before committing myself to new lyrics usually anyway - with this one that's what I did and as soon as I pulled out the lyrics to Pissed and did a little rearranging I knew I had it. One more pissy anthem only this time it's a real situation. The lyrics were written in 1997 after telling a certain person how I felt about them, the silence on the other end of the phone said it all for him, and though I wanted undeniable bliss I was left pissed! The same guy shows up in a number of songs I wrote around that time that I ended up making Swivek songs..

03. Garboesque - The second song I worked on for the album. I had it all on this one, it had a smooth electro back drop and the great bass line and drum line and all I needed was some rock guitar, so I found the loop that became the chorus but then I couldn't find a song to fit into the chorus. I tried writing new lyrics (twice) and I tried every single song in my back catalog even considering doing it as a cover of 'Blue Monday' when I took a look back through my lyric folder and realized "Garboesque" written in 1994 when I obviously wanted to be alone would work great. A little tale about letting people fool themselves into finding love while I stand firm about being alone. Because I wanted the songs to have a positive feel in there somewhere and because I now don't want to be alone without the Leivas, I added the final lines "if you're all alone/ and find me all alone/ you could be alone with me."

04. You're Not The One - This is my all time favorite track on the new album, which is why when considering a single for release, and given this as an option, "You're Not The One" became our lead off single. It was the third track I did and from the very first loop and the first note I knew it was going to be "You're Not The One" - a lyric I wrote in 1991 after someone wanted to do me and I was much too tired to care. It's hilarious and fun and yet even though the narrator isn't being slightly pissy, it has a nice tone in the fact that even though he isn't getting or giving anything he wants, he's willing to do the person regardless. In my head this song was always a rocking little number with melody changes and my vocals grungy and loud. When I pulled off the chord and melody changes with drum and guitar loops aplenty, I knew I had to do it right on with the vocals and I think I did it. Incidentally, the vocal track you hear is the one and only vocal track I did. That's right, just like Debbie I pulled it off in one take!

05. Power & Passion - Probably my second favorite track if for only the fact that this sounds like I'm performing with a real band. Of all the grungy rockers on here, this and "You're Not The One" are the two that came out not only exactly how I planned them but better. Both had me fearing I wouldn't be able to pull off the lyric I had firmly engrained in my head that I could sing. But just like the other song, I think I wanted to do it right so bad, that I just worked on it and worked on it until I turned the mic on. Again, this was the one and only take on the vocal. This was my attempt at the Gossip sound, a little grungy, a little attitudy, and a lot of fun. A tale of what happens when you let your guard down and believe that your dreams can be bought by the highest bidder, but though the power and passion of the bastards in the night can hold you down, your own power and passion will prevail.

06. Can't Say No To That - What a frickin' hoot this was and is.. the first version is quite a train wreck and how I pulled it all together I'll never know. This one I had the title for before ever coming up with the music or lyrics, all because I got some strange porno email pic with that caption. I liked it and it did remind me of sex, which reminded me of the Leivas, which reminded me of what I just can't say no to. I was sure Patrick was going to cut this one, if for nothing other than the fact that it is pretty wild but I guess he liked that and I'm glad cuz it totally makes for a fun spin. Plus the more I hear it, the more I love how actually synchronized the music is; the loops are a jumble of hard rock buzzing guitars and drum rolls but if you listen you can hear how the melody totally works and the repeating lines. I'm proud of this one - oh and again one take on the vocals, but only because it was such a bitch to sing and I knew if I had to redo it, it wouldn't have the same wild feel. Luckily, it worked.

07. Auto 54 - This driving little anthem (get it!) was my best pal Lisa's favorite when I played her the tracks I had finished when she was in LA way back in July. I've always wanted to write a car song, as I was a bit of a car buff when I was a kid, and still would love to get my hands on some old classics. The lyrics are pretty self explanatory, a bunch of sexual overtones disguised in car references, and actually the most fun of my 'love songs'. Although I left it kind of ambiguous as to whether the love affair is between a person and a car or two people. You know like those people who date someone just for what they have. Anyway, I had written one other mobile kind of song in "Thrust" which Orange Television recorded but I had actually written these lyrics before that one. As for the actual Auto 54 - a car I'm sure exists - it could have been Auto 64 and made more sense and I have yet to look up the automobiles being offered in 1954 and which I would love, but the '54 sounded better; and the idea is that the car is just so exciting but not near as exciting as the person driving it. I wrote the lyric in 2002 during "Mexican Gods" but never found a tune for it, then the minute I came up with this bass line, and looked through my lyric page, there was Auto 54 right on top and it fit perfectly. The 'la la la's' were not in the orignal song and were actually going to be edited out, I was really just fooling around but I liked it. Also, the whole lyric is inspired in part by a song about a Chevy by the LA band Fuckbunny.

08. Johnny Misunderstood - For the record, this song is not really about a real person, so much. Johnny is actually the combination of two different bad boys I tangled with back in the day - the boy in high school who came to school with his switch blade out and the boy who had the Camaro Z and vowed to take me away from Wisconsin, we didn't get too far before his chassy (spelling?) broke - probably around the same time my chastity broke. But anyway, as for the song, I was on my way to work when I heard a Buzzcocks song on the radio with one more reference to a Johnny - you know he shows up in every other song and realized I had to do a song about Johnny too. I wrote the lyrics and had this grand idea of a 2 minute new wave masterpiece a la Elvis Costello. But by the time I wrote "Johnny" I had finished about 8 songs and they all had a big rock feel and I wanted something a little lighter. Plus I couldn't find any new wavey loops good enough, so I switched gears and came up with a simple synthy loop and an acoustic guitar and suddenly it all fit. The bitch of it was singing in a slightly higher key as I had a cold at the time and was working on vocals for three different hard to sing songs. But it all came together and Johnny the rebel, who at least in song still has my heart, ended up a great little 2 minute new wave song after all.

09. My Wounds - I owe this song all to Patrick; no he isn't the bastard in the night who runs through the song instead he's the one who told me to write one more song for the album. My Wounds was the very last song I did on my own for the album. I had done about 11 songs on my own and we had done 2 of Patrick's when I asked him for his help on the track list; he knocked three of my songs off the list, decided to do a moody closing number for me and wanted me to write something wild and thrilling. Luckily, I was in the mood. I found the great rounding guitar loop and a ton of drum loops I liked - all from my new anniversary gift of Acid 3.0 and I started going through old lyrics. What I found was a combo of two songs - the first verse and the beginning of the second verse come from a lyric written called "Something Snapped" while the first two lines of the chorus - "who says livin' for nothing's living cheap/ who cares about wounds as long as they're deep?" come from the chorus of an old song written for OTV called "Whim Theif Gash." The rest of the lyrics were sprinkled in with the bitchy moody gloom the song needed. I found great jungle drum beats and little splashes of synths to put in and I wanted it all to last for around 3 minutes. I poured myself a Captain & Coke, put on my attitude hat and sang a song about emotional and physical abuse the only way I could. I love this song.

10. Need - The first instrumental track Patrick sent to me once he came aboard the album. I hated this song for a little while - not because of the music, I loved the music but for the life of me I could not come up with lyrics. I had written lyrics for two new songs while waiting for the music from Patrick and because I had moved from Wheatus & The Gossip to Carly Simon, they were both pretty introspective and sexually driven. They didn't work for his music at all. I loved the little bleeps and decided that would be the chorus, if I could only find a chorus to use. I went through all my lyrics repeatedly trying to find the right song and the right mood and eventually just put the headphones on and felt the vibe. Along came brand new lyrics - still kind of introspective - the Leivas does come home wearing a tie and very much sexually driven - fulfill the need and you'll be freed.

11. Radio - Just like "Power & Passion" with its lyrical take on selling out, "Radio" takes the act to a fun place rather than the gloom found in the previous song. This is my hatred for the Britney's of the world coming through all glossed up like one of her very own songs. I know I sound bitter and it's because I am - not because people like her are stars and you have to read about my songs on a blog rather than in the pages of Rolling Stone but because while she's making a ton of money for not being able to carry a note bands I like aren't getting recognition or deals because of the way they look despite their talent. It was Wheatus that was the first inspiration for this song - their Fuck Sony album spoke to me and the music I came up with is my attempt at Wheatus, a bunch of chunky loud synth loops with guitars and organs - my pal Lisa thinks it sounds like Jet so perhaps it could be described as Wheatus meets Jet; as for the lyrics I was attempting humor and saracasm and think it all works very well. Despite my idea that it's a bitchy tune it comes off as the very pop that I'm kind of making fun of - catchy and dare I say, experimental at the same time? Either way it was a nightmare to mix, first my vocals were too loud then the music was too loud then parts of the music were too loud and parts of my vocals etc. etc. eventually I just used multiple tracks of my voice and the music to come up with the best sound. And it's going to be the next single so I hope everyone loves it!

12. Intensity Is Recommended - The very last song completed for the album so just like our first song, it's appropriate it's the closing track. This is all Patrick - music and lyrics and it's the perfect closing track for the album; overdubs of my voice, Patrick's signature electronics and mood and melody changes, the song starts quiet (with a heartbeat) and moves in - intensity til the end. Even after the last part ends, the song (and hopefully the whole album) sticks with you.

and there you have what I thought or think or did during the recording and writing of what has been called my "magnus opus" of an album. Hopefully, you guys are downloading and listening and will share your thoughts - aren't you so glad you stopped by here today??

posted by swivek @ 2:15 PM 0 comments

darkness + light NOW AVAILABLE!

and it's here - finally after months and months of waiting, the brand new Swivek album is now available - darkness + light is available for download at our record website, so jaunt over and get you some...

Swivek is the music of West Hollywood celebrity stalker Bradley Jacobson and his gang of derelict teenagers. This month we are delighted to release his latest magnus opus Darkness + Light. This record is abuzz with hypertensive energy and is among the most accessible of Swivek records, showcasing mad synthpop and classic rock in the same caffienated rush. Orange Television produce three tracks, providing some bonkers electro to counter Jacobson's newfound fetish for fast and catchy hard guitar pop. This album includes the punk kiss-off of "You're Not The One", the ranting synthetic rush of "Pissed", the Josie Cotton approved dance cut "Auto 54", and the perfectly twisted organ bop of "Radio" (look for a single in November).

posted by swivek @ 2:07 PM 0 comments

Random CDs

Another week is coming to an end and you know what that means don't you? That's right, it's time to look at a few random CDs that have been blaring through the speakers of my work place this week; so let's get to wasting some of that precious time of yours shall we?

PAT BENATAR - Precious Time (Chrysalis; 1981)
Have I mentioned how disappointed I am with the Chrysalis remasters of the first three Pat Benatar's albums? I'm sure I have but once again I'm disappointed, but not in the music, which in essence is the most important thing; it's the skimpy artwork, no liner notes, no big celebrity nods to the power that is Pat - but what can you do? At least, as I just said, the music sounds outstanding. Precious Time was Pat's third album. Released in the summer of 1981 this album brings back so many memories; I had the first two albums and heard the first single from this album while at the municipal swimming pool in Mosinee, Wisconsin; "Fire & Ice" hit the radio and I hit the edge of the pool. The smooth bass line as the opening riff to that single still actually stands the test of time, the second single, the power house "Promises In The Dark" actually opens the album with a sneak attack; starting out with a piano and guitar combo Pat sounds like she's going to be coming out with a ballad but by the time the first chorus ends, the drums and electric chomps kick in and it goes all powerhouse from there; in the early days Pat did a few covers on every album and Precious Time is no different, but rather than a smooth reworking of any old 60s songs, she adds a grungy layer to Paul Revere's "Just Like Me" (though if you ever heard the live version she was doing back in 1979 the re-recording isn't as good) and of all things "Helter Skelter" which actually rocks pretty hard and closes out this short 9 song set - but in between "Promises" & "Helter" there's a lot to love - the super impact of the 6 minute title track ("Cut it out baby stop it/ life is too short so why waste precious tiiiime") a little ditty about self obsession and the seedy side of a glamour life, a theme reinstated on the reggaeis "It's A Tuff Life" which has some of the most snarly vocals ever done by my Ms. B; the uber cool and chord changing "Hard To Believe" which has some of my fav lyrics and for a little over the topness, the strange yet compelling "Evil Genius" full of horns and crazy lyrics about an evil little boy who goes on a killing rampage. Apparantly, Pat was pushed into recording this album very quickly; her contract had her promise to make a new album every 9 months, and the reviews were awful, particularly one in Rolling Stone dubbed "spandex ballet" but the fans loved it, and though it was grittier than the straight ahead rock of Crimes Of Passion or the new wave nuance of In The Heat Of The Night, it still got spun on my record player for a long long time. Incidentally, the woman who wrote the terrible (and it was awful) review of Precious Time for RS back in '81 ended up writing a biography book on Pat Benatar - I guess when it came to the money, she too could be persuaded to love the spandex clad rock goddess.

SCISSOR SISTERS (Universal; 2004)
You gotta wrap your fuzzy with a big red bow -
I tell you there isn't a bad song on this set; the boys and girl from the girtty part of New York City that is still in tact, the Scissor Sisters conquered the UK of course; since unlike any US counterparts lately, they actually enjoy good music across the pond. Combining the elements of Robbie Williams, Elton John, Beck and just about every other enchanting lad of late, the album is a dance wave rock rave from beginning to end - "Filthy Gorgeous", "Take Your Mama Out", the reworking of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" - no matter where your random button hits you're going to hear a dose of pure pop genius. When the album came out I began putting random Scissor Sisters songs on the compilation discs I made and let me tell you I made fans out of every single person who ran and bought the album themselves - and hello Jake Shears can tear up the scenery and there are two gay boys in the band! It's about time music can be music and not just a sub category of queer rock. It gives me hope for the likes of oh, I don't know Swivek. Oh and if you haven't already see We Are Scissor Sisters and So Are You! - a concert film that has tons of fun extras and one of the best live performances I've seen in a while - oh and also they're new single is out in the UK and the new album hits in two weeks!



TEGAN & SARA - If It Was You (Vapor; 2003)
A verse, chorus and such...
Once again, another album that I can't get enough of and one where every single song is great - these girls speak to me - looking for sad, sick people like me in the single "I Hear Noises" the first song I ever heard by the duo, they also rant and rave when they go all "City Girl" on the boy who done them wrong and the breathy and refreshing "Not Tonight" ("Love pull your sore ribs in/ I will pull your tangles out/ In the back of your car I feel like I have travelled nowhere/ what will bring me hope/ what will make me stay"), the uber brilliance of the other single "Monday Monday Monday" and the very Kirsty MacColl-ish "I Want To Be Bad." There's even an interesting mandolin driven "Living Room" reminding me of Ditty Bops meeting Tanya Donnelly; all in all, If It Was You is the perfect Tegan & Sara starting point, though it's their second album, if you're unfamiliar I'd start with this one and then go to the newest one - which I still have to buy; in fact I think I'll head to Amazon right now!

HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH - Original Film Soundtrack (Hybrid; 2001)
When I lived in Idaho, my pal Tara Fisher worked at the Long Ear record store and would come home with the most wonderful music; in 1999 she brought home the soundtrack to the Off Broadway buzz Hedwig & The Angry Inch, a sordid rock tale of Hedwig, the German rock singer who never made it to the big concert hall. Starting in West Berlin as a confused little boy, Hedwig is ready to stick his head in the oven until the muse of Olivia Newton-John and others hits him. He heads to the sex change operating table and through even more trauma comes out a little more woman but not quite successfully. So bitter and looking for love, Hedwig tells us the whole story through glam rock influenced songs including his problems with love toy boy Johnny Gneusosis. The soundtrack was great and when the film came out in 2001, John Cameron Mitchell re-recorded it all. The songs are all sing along glam rock a la T Rex and old Bowie, including the rocking title track about that so unflattering angry inch ("my sex change operation got botched/ now I've all got is a Barbie doll crotch/ I've got an angry inch") Humorous yet so tragic and so much better than the original Broadway version since back up female vocals are brought in. The whole album is chock full of songs with witty lyrics and of course a story to tell including "The Origin Of Love," one of my favorites "Sugar Daddy" - a rockabilly little romp about that oh so wonderful figure who takes care of you and my ultimate favorite "Wig In A Box" (I put on some make-up/ turn on the 8-track/ and pull the wig down from the shelf/ suddenly I'm Miss Farrah Fawcett from TV/ until I wake up / and I turn back to myself). Hedwig's soundtrack is a venture into self discovery, self loathing and self love and this is just as good as the film and show.

SOPHIE B. HAWKINS - Tongues & Tails (1992; Columbia)
Starting with the one two bang of "Damn! I Wish I Was Your Lover" and "California Here I Come" Sophie proved that she is one of those unique artists who can bend the rules of pop music; using adult themes and actual intelligent lyrics, I was a fan from the first bars of the first single. In fact when the single was high on the charts and the next single "California..." was out, our local Wausau radio station was giving away two tickets to see Sophie in California on the Tonight Show. How I wanted to win that - first, I loved Sophie, but also I so wanted to run away and live in California, a dream I wanted since I was a wee tyke and her song just reinforced that need. I woke up at 5:40 in the morning to hear the results of the contest and though I didn't win, I did end up in California eventually! As for the rest of this dynamic debut by Miss Hawkins, "Mysteries We Understand" continues the fold of the new age pop music Sophie does so well. Along with a cover of Bob Dylan's "I Want You" and her original pieces combining horns, church bells, synths, acoustic guitars, pianos, screaming and background filler, Sophie takes us through her jaunt of inner feelings and hyperness. It's a great collection though truth be told her next album Whaler was the one that really sealed the deal for me.

SASS JORDAN - Rats (Impact/MCA; 1992)
"Ain't no way around it/ lately I've had enough.." and so begins one of my all time favorite albums - from those opening booming scratch laden voiced lines Rats by Sass Jordan just keeps pumping out hard rocking tunes of love and betrayal - "Damaged" is the opening cut and as the song progresses our girl is so damaged, lies become a habit and she doesn't even want to get it on; before we cut to the equally powerful "Slave" ("you've forgotten what it is to be well/ you're a slave").. then onto "Pissin' Down" a bitchy ballady ballsy number about heroin addiction and the first single "High Road Easy" (take a better man than you babe to rectify the damage to my soul) and the one hit our girl ever really had with the acousticlly driven and fairly optimistic "Sun's Gonna Rise." The music and force doesn't stop long enough to give you a break - incorporating George Clinton into the bluesy rocker "Ugly" (you're the ugliest thing I ever saw/ and I think I love you), into "Head" and beyond until it comes to its bittersweetly quiet ending with "Breakin'". I first discovered Sass from her second album Racine (the one proceeding this) which was southern rock and roll with her raspy voice coming off like a Black Crowe's clone - in fact there's some urban legend about her being sued for ripping them off, but all the upbeat and powerful messages on Racine (an equally good album) are replaced by the bitterness and punch of Rats. Once my pals all heard Sass's commentary on all of her songs, they too came over to the Jordan loving side and Rats remains one of their all time favorite albums. After all her voice is beyond powerful, and her lyrics are universal and pointedly clear - I've always thought if they did a Janis Joplin biopic they should have Sass in it - though she doesn't look anything like her voice, perhaps they could cast an actress and use Sass' voice - she is much more convincing as Janis than Melissa Etheridge. Unfortunetly Sass doesn't record too often and when she does it isn't anything as equally powerful as Rats or Racine - she can be seen on the Canadian version of American Idol as the Paula Abdul part but her music has never been as intense as this set, which I've just decided is going back into my car stereo for another few tours.

STREETS OF FIRE Soundtrack (MCA; 1984)
I was on a soundtrack kick for awhile which emerged cause I was looking for some EG Daily music, well I came across this soundtrack really cheap and though there's no EG there's plenty of interesting songs and stories to keep me listening. A complete 80s creation, Streets Of Fire is dubbed a rock & roll fable and though I remember seeing it as a child I can't recall much of it, but luckily it's sitting on my TV thanx to Netflix and I'll let you know how that goes - as for the songs the two main gems here come from Jim Steinman - the man behind "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" and the Meat Loaf Bat Out Of Hell series to name but a few - I love Jim's take on theatrics; everything's a rushing flame of passion and intensity - the two songs on here performed by Fire Inc. (I'll have to do a search to see who that really is) are "Nowhere Fast" and "Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young" - high energy duets with a male and female lead and that 80's synth drum and heavy back vocals pushing it to the end - "even if you've got nowhere to go/ you and me we're getting nowhere slowly/ and we gotta get away from the past/ there's nothing wrong with going nowhere baby but we should be going nowhere fast.." I love it, it makes me feel like a kid; though the middle part of "Nowhere Fast" (godspeed, speed us away) is a little theatrical even for this campy boy. The main reason I purchased the CD is because Marilyn Martin is on here - I love her and her booming voice and to kick it all to the curb the song she does on here is "Sorcerer" written by Stevie Nicks. And as much as I love Marilyn, I love me my Welsh witch as well. Stevie even shows up singing back up and taking a lead on the Marilyn song - and the song itself obviously written awhile ago ended up on Stevie's 2001 album. A strange ethereal (this is Stevie after all) the lyrics seem to be talking of cocaine addiction but who knows with that woman (Sorcerer / who is the master/ man or woman / in the middle of a snow dream/ Sorcerer/ come inside/ let me put you on ice) Even with Stevie only on the back and side lines the song is just as dramatic sung by Marilyn, and one day I will make that Marilyn Martin comp I've been thinking of. On top of these three gems, there's the hit single "I Can Dream About You" by Dan Hartman - though I would prefer the Lisa Hartman version of it; and Maria McKee of Lone Justice doing "Never Be You" a Tom Petty written number that would end up on Rosanne Cash's album a few years later; and both are genuinely good. There's even "Deeper & Deeper" by The Fixx pushing the earthy fire ambience of the whole album together. If the film version of Streets Of Fire isn't truly a rock & roll fable, this little collection of a soundtrack certainly has all the elements of one.

posted by swivek @ 10:18 AM 0 comments

Oh, I'm Hell On Wheels

A few weeks ago Alf, Luther and I were walking down Hollywood Boulevard and as we passed by one of the million and one American Apparel stores which are opening in LA, I saw five TV screens showing various scenes from a movie I swore was Roller Boogie. I thought I was having an antacid flashback; when I was but a wee one in 1979, my mother took me to see Roller Boogie starring real life roller skating champ Jim Bray and one Linda Blair, trying to shed her pea soup spewing image. I loved the movie - I loved the Venice Beach scenes and Beverly Hills, as Linda portrayed a rich flute playing teen who had a love for roller skating and would head to the beach to join in the fun and sun that was the height of the roller skating craze in Southern California. As Alf and I looked at the screen, it occured to me that perhaps maybe the movie was actually out on DVD and can you believe it - it is! I ran up to Tower Records the very next day and bought it for a measlely $15 - as to me this precious little piece of film is priceless. My pal Jen who loves all things 70s and 80s and disco headed over and we had ourselves a Roller Boogie night! I'm still beaming over it.
And I'm not the only one who loves the film for this glorious creature (who perhaps has more time on her hands than she needs) created the ultimate Roller Boogie website at www.susan-a-miller.com/rollerboogie and I applaud her for it and thanx to her and her downloadable songs from the soundtrack, a bubbatunes reissue of the Roller Boogie soundtrack is in the works! After all, the film opens with the raucous disco funky of Cher singing "Hell On Wheels", a song for some reason I totally recall roller skating to at the Crystal Rock in Rhinelander, that and Gary Numan's "Cars" which doesn't show up in the film or the soundtrack. Oh well. And a final sidenote, for other camp classics I found this great website which gives you a run down of their picks www.subcin.com/camp.htm and you can bet a few of these are on their way to my Netflix queue; just as soon as I send back Gimme A Break! disc 2 and Streets Of Fire (stay tuned for that one!)

posted by swivek @ 1:42 PM 0 comments

Cover Me

Well, we finally have some artwork going on for the new Swivek album Darkness + Light - as you can see the front cover is done - it's fun, it's dark, it's rock and roll, it's light, it's Swivek... Luther and I went to the Hollywood Forever cemetary on Sunday and then headed over to the Mary Pickford Bridge which is right by a school where they filmed the Grease carnival (but more on that in another post) so there are over 90 pix to go through but I've weeded them down and the artwork for the CD is almost done! And since we are so close, I thought it only right to come up with a release date for the thing - so September 19th get ready cause Darkness + Light will be available.. and anyone who hasn't heard the first single You're Not The One, head over to www.flexiblerecords.com and download it - oh and you might find a nice Swiveky surprise while you're there.

posted by swivek @ 10:52 AM 1 comments

Random CDs

It's that time of the week again, where we look at a few random CDs - being inspired or uninspired I'm still not quite sure by last week's MTV Awards, we have a few winners and losers and nominees in the bunch this week, but being a Brad blog, it's MY choice of CDs so it's not exactly like a nominees special...

JAMES BLUNT - Back To Bedlam (2005; Atlantic/Custard)
I didn't want to like James Blunt, I don't know why but I didn't. Perhaps it was the Leivas loving the video so much - I do get jealous still when he notices other men exist in the world, or maybe it was the fact he was a crictical and air play darling, but once I just gave up and bought the CD I realized for once in the world of music, the people were right. Back To Bedlam is a really good album, clocking in under 40 minutes, it's just enough heartbreak, mourning and the like; any longer and you may want to kill yourself or someone near you. The lead single "You're Beautiful" and its haunting video is what captures the world but I ended up liking every single song on this album. The opening "High" is a bit of an inspiration at mid tempo acoustic guitar and drums, then onto the single, the beautiful and painful "Goodbye Lover" which is so simplistic yet so compelling. Those two words could pretty much some up Back To Bedlam and for anyone who thought the hype was well just that, I would ask you to check out the album. It's not just the ballad heartbreak mania of a "sensitive" guy but rather some really interesting if not random words and thoughts. A song called "Goodbye Jimmy" seems to be bidding goodbye to the good ol days of recording in your living room before stardom hits you, which seems a tad premature on a debut album but what do I know? There's sarcasm and bitterness thrown in almost everywhere and you know how much I like that. Definitely worth getting if you haven't already.

TYLER HILTON - The Tracks Of... (2004; Maverick)
This is a perfect combination with James Blunt; I first discovered this hottie (Yes I said it, this boy is HAWT)on MTV one night right after an Ashlee Simpson video ended. I thought for sure I was in for more pretty kid crap when his voice rang in and the song was not only good in a teeny way but actually excellant in an adult world. So I ran out to buy the album and found out everything I could about this young man who had my heart all in a tither. Finding out he was signed to Madonna's label and had secured that deal by calling into an LA radio show and performing only made me realize more how talented he is. Combining the sensitive yet so misunderstood trauma of the latest slew of pop punk boys and the like, his music is more lyrically driven, with acoustic guitars, a handful of real players, real drums, real guitars, you get it? It's for real man! The single "When It Comes" is what grabbed me but the humor of "The Letter Song" keeps the momentum going through the album. It's true, his sound is geared toward the top 40 of say 1991 perhaps, that doesn't mean the songs aren't catchy as all hell and not only is the music in a league so much more than teen pop, his voice full of scratches someone so young shouldn't have, makes you completely forget that this kid is on "One Tree Hill."

NELLY FURTADO - Whoa Nelly! (Dreamworks; 2000)
Whoa Nelly! was one of the very first CDs I bought when I got my first CD car stereo in my little blue Escort; I had loved the song "Turn Out The Lights" which I had heard on a magazine compilation then by the time I knew all the songs her real single hit the airwaves "I'm Like A Bird" and she was every where and the CD was put to rest. Now that she's all promiscuous with Timbaland, I thought I'd revisit the CD that made me a fan and wonder what went wrong with the girl. From the debut album I would never have seen her heading to the trip hop slutty imagery she's so happy carrying now, back then she was actually taking real chances by using her voice and some strange effects to create a new world of music; using bared soul for lyrics despite how young or ill effected that soul was; the songs were good and I was singing along through her pain, her sassiness, her beat changes and recollections of how life should be. If you want to hear the kootchy koo world of Nelly find her new album if you actually want to hear an actually interesting little album get this one.


DONNA SUMMER - The Wanderer (Geffen; 1980)
Ms. Summer was high and mighty in 1980 having just left long time label Casablanca and being signed as the second (behind John Lennon) at the newly formed Geffen Records. In tow with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellote she kept up the momentum of her previous album Bad Girls, by moving into a rock direction. Realizing perhaps that disco was indeed gone and the dance floor was moving in a new direction, the trio kept it up. Opening with the poppy synth laden "The Wanderer" and weaving in and out of electronic pop/rock through the next songs, The Wanderer was another hit for Donna. The thing that had changed the most in her music however was what had changed in her own life, sometime between the recording of Bad Girls, a double album ode to the working girl of the streets, and the recording of this album, Donna found Jesus and became a Born Again Christian. The new found faith is found on this album, though probably only if you're looking for it - "Breakdown" and "Looking Up" both tell the tales of being/feeling awful and finding the light. In fact a lot of the songs find the woman as the protaganist in the song, my ultimate fav "Stop Me" changes melody a few times within it's 3 minutes as Donna tells her man, "I didn't know, I couldn't guess, If I only would've known, I never would've been in this mess.. stop me, stop me if you've this all before..." and the real lyrical throw back to earlier Donna is in "Nightlife", a synthy rock song about celebrating the only time she comes alive. The real rock song on the set "Cold Love" ended up being a single and I read not too long ago that it was voted one of the best rock songs ever. With full on guitars, Donna growls and cries through the song wondering where real love is. The album closes with an actually inspiring little ditty called "I Believe In Jesus" for any who may not have caught her little nods to the big JC through out the first few songs. When I was a kid I wasn't too big of a fan of this but now it kind of grows on me, it's not a full on gospel song by any means, instead it's a poppy retelling of Mary Had A Little Lamb ("wherever he goes, this lamb is sure to follow...") and it's actually not a bad way to end a pretty good record - though the slutty sassy Donna of Bad Girls is still missed.

HEART - Jupiter's Darling (2004; Sovereign Artists)
Opening with a rousing acoustic guitar, you are ready to hear the old world winds of "Magic Man" as Ann kicks in to sing, alas it's not "Magic Man" but for the sisters who have been making power packed rock since 1976, this is still a really welcome comeback. At 16 songs, the power and passion that is the Wilson sisters can end up being a little intimidating but for anyone who ever sang along with the likes of "Barracuda" or even "Dreamboat Annie", Jupiter's Darling is a great place to go. Ann proves she hasn't lost a bit of her vocal chops as she punches through "Make You" and then takes it down four notches for "The Perfect Goodbye", and ever since she proved what she can do on a lead with 1985's "These Dreams" Nancy (Mrs. Cameron Crowe if you're nasty) gets a few songs of her own, most notably on the acoustic "Things".
OK GO - Oh No (2005; Capitol)
One night very late I got a video for a song called "Get Over It" by OK Go, it was the perfectly produced pop punk that so many mans are doing in the wake of Green Day and I didn't really expect much but as the video continued, I became a tad bit interested. I liked it and I couldn't believe it. Then a few months later I was at Amoeba Records (Heaven on Earth) and bought a bunch of CDs including many discounted CDs, when I got to the counter they informed me that I got another discounted CD for free because of the amount of items I had, not wanting to wade through the gazillion CDs again, I remembered that I had seen the OK Go album so I ran back and got it. I was more than pleasantly surprised to find out that that debut CD was the best album I had heard in a long time. Completely blown out of the water. The single was just as good as I remembered, but that was only the beginning. Someday I'll review that one but for today, we're here at their second album and because I loved the first one so much I did run out and buy Oh No the minute it came out. But I must admit I wasn't as interested as I had been. The same feelings are still there for the most part - a power produced bunch of punky pop talking about girls, bad girls, good girls, the girls who done wrong, the girls who were done wrong and the like but it didn't strike me and pin me up against a wall like the first one. But then they did that clever video for "Here It Goes Again" and I brought this CD out of the dust bin and what do you know, now I really like it and can't stop listening to it. Opening with "Invincible" - the first single, and moving on one pop punky gem after another, the album has suddenly grown on me. Now I'm not saying this is classic by any means, and to me it's not even as good as the first one, but for pure power pop this is great to hear with the wind blowing through your hair and your fist in the air.

and the CD highlight award goes to:

P!NK - Try This (Arista; 2003)
For Try This, P!nk opted to continue in the vein of previous singles like "Don't Let Me Get Me" and bring her music up a rocking notch or two, so she took the help of Tim Armstrong of Rancid, and came up with a damn fine album. Not quite as meandering as her latest album, this album does have the hippity hoppity fun of dance in songs like "God Is A DJ" but with the opening rock hit of "Trouble" and the poppy stylings of "Walk Away" and "Save My Life" this isn't anywhere near that first album she put out there. There's even a Peaches duet for crying out loud on the soothing and oh so gritty "Oh My God"; and of course Pink's raspy laced attitude is everywhere from the searing opener to the ballady closer. To me, Pink is the talent that is going to outlast them all and this is the album that everyone should own.

posted by swivek @ 11:50 AM 4 comments

I've Seen The Darkness (+ The Light)

After three months of creative energy clashes, rewrites, rerecordings, new songs added, old songs ditched, new attitudes and new directions, all of the songs for the new Swivek album Darkness + Light are now recorded and done! 12 songs of love, woe, pissiness and attitude with three songs written by or with Patrick English of Orange Television - Darkness + Light is a collection of garage rock, grungy synths and some dance beats. We are shooting the album artwork this weekend (keep your fingers crossed) with "famed" photographer Luther Orrick and the album will have its release in just a few short weeks - but to those loyal enough to actually read this stuff; here's the track list (as a teaser)

01. Darkness + Light 02. Pissed 03. Garboesque 04. You're Not The One 05. Power & Passion 06. Can't Say No To That 07. Auto 54 08. Johnny Misunderstood 09. My Wounds 10. Need 11. Radio 12. Intensity Is Recommended

So keep your eyes and ears open for new downloads here and at www.soundclick.com and get ready for the release and the Darkness + Light internet tour (more to come on that!)

And for anyone who doesn't know (or hasn't done it yet) the brand new single You're Not The One along with the b-side Pissed (Fluid Pill Mix) is available for download now at Flexible Records! Bop over and get the new Swivek single!

posted by swivek @ 11:52 AM 0 comments

New Bubbatunes 9/05

I had an itching for some new/old music and came up with two more little additions to the never ending Bubbatunes catalog, so let's take a look:

CRYSTAL GAYLE - Crystalized (bub64)
When I was a wee tyke my parents had an 8-track player in their car, yes I know I'm getting old; but one of the 8-tracks me and the 'rents could agree on listening to was Crystal Gayle's album When I Dream; it contained some little piano ballads, a few countrified numbers a whole lot of heartache. I liked it, and I liked her next album Miss The Mississippi as well. Crystal always kind of reminded me of my Aunt Carol, perhaps it was the long black hair or the soft demeanor but no matter what, I found myself crystalized back then. Over the years, the girl scored over 20 (yes 20!) #1 country hits and a few pop hits, in fact her album We Have To Believe In Magic was the very first country album to hit platinum status. Unfortunetly, like other artists who have lasted the years, all those top songs were recorded on a number of different labels making it almost impossible to get a compilation of all the songs you like; but lucky for everyone Bubbatunes exists and I don't give a rats hoo ha about what label won't get paid for this. So I decided to take a few of my fav Crystals that I remembered and sprinkle them in with a bunch of her chart toppers, I then realized how much I really like Crystal Gayle. It's strange to think of her as Loretta Lynn's much younger sister as when I think of Loretta, I think coal mining, rednecks and homemade apple pie with flaky crusts made with Crisco, when I think of Crystal, I think jazz piano, champagne and caviar. Perhaps the same could be said of me and my sister??

Anyway, known mostly as a crooner or chanteuse Crystal took the art of love affair and ran with it; always on the ending side of a relationship, Crystal uses her angst in ways no one else seems to get to; not always the victim and even when she is the victim, it seems she's just venting about how she's going to get through the mess. Songs like "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" and "If You Ever Change Your Mind" have that feel, while other songs contemplate the horrors that could be love, the poppy "Too Many Lovers", "Deeper In The Fire". Some of the lyrics may have come across cheesy by a lesser talent, but Crystal's breathy alto really make you feel these songs; her contemplation in keeping a distance in "Baby What About You", the sincere "Nobody Wants To Be Alone", and the grungy country of "Ready For The Times To Get Better." I'll always love the fun found in "Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For" and the ending notes of her version of "Cry" leave little to doubt her talent. Through the years, she took jazzy piano to a country level, took country to pop levels and has left me completely breathless. In fact, I have been playing and replaying this mix since I made it. So without further fanfare, I give you the track list of Crystalized:

bub 64 Crystal Gayle - Crystalized
cover art / design by Bradley Jacobson
Track list:
01. Deeper In The Fire
02. Baby What About You
03. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
04. Too Many Lovers
05. Cry
06. It's Like We Never Said Goodbye
07. River Road
08. Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For
09. A Long And Lasting Love
10. Straight To The Heart
11. If You Ever Change Your Mind
12. Half The Way
13. Nobody Wants To Be Alone
14. Ready For The Times To Get Better
15. Livin' In These Troubled Times
16. The Blue Side
17. Our Love Is On The Faultline
18. Talking In Your Sleep
19. The Sound Of Goodbye
20. The Woman In Me
21. When I Dream
22. Turning Away
23. You & I (with Eddie Rabbit)

JOSIE COTTON - 23 From 4 (bub65)
I've wanted to make a really good Josie compilation for awhile now, and with the release of her new album, this was the perfect time. Plus the fact she's still on my mind since that incredible night of her concert, I give you 23 from 4; 23 songs of sheer Josie brilliance from her four released albums Convertible Music, From The Hip, Frightened By Nightingales and Movie Disaster Music. (Incidentally there are two other albums that she recorded but they have never been released)... The best and most memorable songs from Josie's canon are from the debut album, an 11 song opus of pure new wave pop surf brilliance; because of the impartial person I am there are only 8 songs from Convertible Music included - the debut single "Johnny Are You Queer?" is of course included as is the even better follow up "He Could Be The One" and the third, though little played single "Bye Bye Baby"; the Hollywood feel of "I Need The Night, Tonight", the excellant and moody "Another Girl", "Waitin' For Your Love", the ballady "No Pictures Of Dad"; a tale of the girl who doesn't want make the mistakes as Mom and the perfect counterpart to the new wave feel, "So Close"; plus the elusive B-side to Johnny; "(Let's Do) The Blackout", a song strangely ommitted from the re-release of the two albums a few years ago. From her equally new wavey though more synthesized follow up From The Hip, we have the single "Jimmy Loves Maryann" (check out You Tube for the video! it's great and there is also a performance of "He Could Be The One"), the rockabilly "Life After Love", my favorite "Gina", the spunky "No Use Crying" and "Stop Me", the almost Missing Persons-ish "License To Dance", and her cover of "School Is In", which was originally recorded for the mini album soundtrack for Valley Girl, but also ended up on From The Hip. From 1993's more Kate Bush than Go-Go's album Frightened By Nightingales, we took the violins and punching rhythm of "Deep Dark Hole", the very brilliant and beautiful "After The Rose", and the ethereal "In My Dream" and finally from my new favorite album right now, Movie Distaster Music comes the awesome "Creeps" a mix of new wave, old school and new school rock and excellant lyrics, the James Bond-ish "Beautiful But Deadly", the clanky hook of "Rabbit Hole" and the venomous and moody "Fabulous," and to keep it all interesting they aren't anywhere near chronologically ordered.

bub65 Josie Cotton - 23 From 4
Cover art/design by Bradley Jacobson
Track list:
01. Creeps
02. He Could Be The One
03. After The Rose
04. Gina
05. Another Girl
06. (Let's Do) The Blackout
07. No Use Crying
08. In My Dream
09. Jimmy Loves Maryann
10. I Need The Night, Tonight
11. Rabbit Hole
12. License To Dance
13. No Pictures Of Dad
14. Bye Bye Baby
15. Beautiful But Deadly
16. Johnny Are You Queer?
17. Deep Dark Hole
18. Stop Me
19. Waitin' For Your Love
20. School Is In
21. Fabulous
22. Life After Love
23. So Close

posted by swivek @ 9:06 AM 0 comments

Video Boredom

You know what sucks ass more than MTV's programming? The 2006 MTV Video Music Awards that's what.. Yes, I wasted another evening watching the boredom, tedium, loud and obnoxious video awards. I wish I could pass off my distaste for the thing as being older than the 20 and under set it's meant to cater to, but the fact is no matter how old you are, a lot of this music sux, a lot of the performers suck, Jack Black sucks and any one can tell a bad production even on a portable screen...

But there were a few moments of fun - so let's look at the good:

One of my favorite bands OK Go made a video for youtube awhile back for their song "Here It Goes Again" - in the video the boys do a million and one dance moves, runs, falls etc. on treadmills and its brilliant, and last night the boys SUCCESSFULLY mind you, recreated that video on stage. Definitely the high light of the evening. You can watch the real video at the OK Go Website.

P!nk was there and that's always fun for me... she accepted her award for the brilliant and scathing "Stupid Girls" video which I was more than happy that it won, since it actually does have a point in a sea of pointless videos and songs, and her acceptance speech was pure P!nk sleeze, she flipped her head, she sounded like a drugged out Courtney Love doing her Valley Girl schtick and then she walked off the stage. Later she returned with Lou Reed to give out the award for best Rock Video and sang a line from "Dear Mr. President" (Dear Mr. President are you a lonely boy? - "Okay, I'm done," she said) while Lou told P!nk that he loved her and he loved rock and roll and wanted MTV to play more rock videos, to which I hooted and hollered even if the mostly hip hop rapsters in attendance didn't particularly go for it.

• Xtina can and will always put on a good show, probably due to the fact that the beatch can sing circles around just about anybody, and in a classy red dress, her new Jean Harlow look, she belted out a scorcher. It wasn't amazing and jaw dropping but it was damn good.
• Al Gore mentioning he wasn't going to come until he heard Justin Timberlake was going to be there and he was bringing Sexy Back...
• Beyonce blew the shit off the roof at FIRST; the beginning of her performance for her single "Ring The Alarm" - the anti-cheating bitch fest was great. I missed her introduction and for the life of me I sat there for a minute thinking it was J. Lo; but then I heard the chorus and knew better. I loved the outfits she and her female dancers wore - a tan trenchcoat with thigh high black boots and some black lace underneath, and when she was in a chair being pushed down by hottie police guards I admit I was loving it, but then she and her dancers took out all the music and did some crazy Janet Jackson rip off - I swear it was an almost identical sequence to Miss J's "Rhythm Nation" routine; and if you're going to try and win over the masses, don't be messing with my J...

which brings me to the worst parts of the show -

• I hate Justin Timberlake with a complete passion, usually reserved for someone like Celine Dion. I never liked his straight act with Brittney, or his coming into his own muscles of Justified, and when Boobgate happened and he apologized and licked the asses of every single mogul from MTV to the NFL, I lost any respect I may have given him. I'm also pissed still that MTV took the 700 apologies he made and will put his video on any time and anywhere, while Janet who did actually apologize but then refused to apologize over and over again gets her new video to premier on BET - where would MTV be without the likes of Miss Nasty I ask you... but anyway, Justin opened the show and though I have to give extreme kudos for his anitromic dance moves at the beginning (I swear I thought it was fake, a la the Gorillaz type of staging) he then broke into song where you could barely hear him but the annoying back up singers were loud and clear, then Timbaland hit the stage so they could bring "Sexy Back", whatever is all I have to say. The song actually sucks and sounds like a Timbaland throw away at best; as for bringing Sexy Back, don't you first need a set of balls? For bringing sexy to pop music give me Robbie Williams
• Then, Shakira makes me want to gag, so her performance did nothing for me, and I have to wonder once you make a song about your biggest asset to the world, is there anywhere you can ever go again? I mean what's going to happen when she's 85 years old, are her hips going to finally start lying to her, and what of Fergie, how is she going to sing "My Lumps" and about her damn "London Bridge" once she gets to be say 33? I mean do people think about that when they record these songs? Not even on her most cranked out day would Whitney do something so foolish. Though I must admit as a personality, Fergie really is quie appealing, she seems down right nice; while Shakira can shake her frickin' hips all the way to a Brazillian jungle for all I care...
• and who or what the fuck is Jared Leto? I've heard he made movies, I've seen and heard him all over Hollywood with his new band and yet to me he still seems like a crazed freak trying to be relevant. He showed up with Amy Lee of Evanescence to give out an award and he was wearing the most god awful tight black rock pants, I know you know what I'm talking about. Then he went on and on about group sex (they were giving away the best Group Video) as if he were sexy or something. Ugh! The whole thing made me want to watch my eyes and mouth out with bleach.
• JACK BLACK SUCKS! at least as an emcee; I really don't mind him in movies, particularly the School Of Rock (though Joan Cusack is as usual a saving grace) but as a person on his own, he isn't funny, he threatened to bring the whole MTV Awards to a new level at the beginning of the show, and he did do that - a whole new level of BAD! On top of his John Belushi inspired angry man schtick, he couldn't read a prompter, he basically said all of Lil Kim's dialogue before she even hit the stage saying "You can't keep a good bitch down," which was obviously going to be Lil Kim's big cheer when she said it, but by the time she was able to say it we had heard it all.
• The Jackass! boys are not homoerotic, they are not funny, they are not cute or endearing in their pathetic little boys way, they are and always will be just jackasses.
  

You know it's a bad show when I, Bradley, am voting for Madonna to win an award - perhaps this next year will be better for music and videos in general - though I'm surprised MTV even airs this show, do they even play videos anymore?

Oh well, until next year - I'm off to listen to the music I want to hear - though be prepared that my next installment of Random CDs will actually contain a few members from the MTV awards shows - sorry no Justin allowed.

posted by swivek @ 10:35 AM 0 comments