On this day in 1968, Johnny Cash successfully enlisted the aid of 2000+ inmates interred at California's Folsom State Prison to help market his comeback. The resulting LP, 'At Folsom Prison' (Columbia), was released in May 1968 and climbed to the top of the country charts.
Singing to felons turned out to be a such a profitable endeavor for The Man in Black, he followed up 'Folsom' with 'At San Quentin' (Columbia) the very next year. Who says crime doesn't pay?
No doubt 'At Folsom Prison' was groundbreaking and historic, it ranks as one of the best country albums of all time. Though I wonder if Cash hadn't employed the gimmick of staging a live performance inside a federal prison during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, would this album be quite so 'important?'
If creating yet another amazing album wasn't enough, the back story that goes along with the LP is just as cool. Two weeks prior to it's release, the band made 'You and Me' available online for only $5, donating all proceeds to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
And although they ditched their Harlem practice space for the more bucholic environs of New Paltz, it's nice to see that a New York band can still kick some ass.
With only one entry left in Actual Monkey's Top 8 of '08, we take a timeout to pay tribute to The King on what would have been his 74th B-day.
I like Elvis the Brand, but not Elvis the singer. Actually, he was more than just a brand, he was pop music's first Megabrand, and that status eclipsed Elvis the man long before he was inhaling barbiturates by the fistful and shitting his jumpsuit.
His train wreck of a life was one of the first on full public display, for all to gawk at and some to mimic. Hell, the only things that separate Britney Spears from Elvis are 50 pounds of belly fat and six feet of dirt.
But I digress. Eventually, as with all successful brands, they become parodied and are reduced to a commodity.
Electropop wizards Hot Chip scored big in 2008 with their third release 'Made in the Dark' (Astralwerks /Caroline). Mining their dweeb aplomb to yield a fine new gem, 'Made in the Dark' coalesces Moby with Ben Folds. This expansion beyond Electronica, albeit modest, results in a record that displays more mood swings than a night on the town with Andy Dick. The result: cultivated and resplendent. It also has a good beat, you can dance to it. I'd give it a seven.
I'm not sure if it's prophetic or pure coincidence, but Beck's 'Modern Guilt' (Interscope) has to be the most aptly titled release of 2008.
On this, his 12th release, the uber-artist teams with zeitgeist producer extraordinaire Danger Mouse to explore the existential. Beck's dark side Shindig mashup. Like groovy, man.
We interrupt the regularly scheduled top 8 of '08 to deliver the following bad news. I learned today from a friend (via Brooklyn Vegan) that one of my favorite young bands, Dirty on Purpose played their farewell show on New Year's Eve at The Mercury Lounge.
After their amazing (read: critically acclaimed) EP'Sleep Late for a Better Tomorrow' (North Street Records, 2005) and debut LP 'Hallelujah Sirens' (North Street Records, 2006), it seemed as though they were poised to carry the torch for the Neo-Shoegazer movement with their dreamy, hypnotic melodies. Fixtures at SXSW, CMj and the Siren Music Festival, the band flourished, a product of the emerging and maturing Brooklyn Indie scene. In 2007 they released the free download only EP 'Dead Volcanoes'onwww.RCRDLBL.com and continued to tour with some of the biggest Indie acts (Arcade Fire, Band of Horses, Serena Maneesh, Blue Ribbon, The Decemberists).
But as I stated here way back in February, while reviewing their show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple (02.14.08), it seemed like the writing was on the wall. I think the beginning of the end was Erika Forster's aurevoir to the band, coupled with a lackluster sophomore effort 'Like Bees' (North Street Records, 2008) and the fact that all the members had ongoing side projects. Long story short, when the band reconvened last November to begin recording new music, they decided they were done. They released a statement in early December and played their last show on New Years Eve supporting A Place To Bury Strangers. Sadly prophetic.
I'm certain there will be some solace listening to the side projects: Purse Snatchers (Doug Marvin) Joe and the Flying Spoons (Joseph Jurewicz), along with the rest of the incestuous cache of musicians that wind up playing in each others bands and on each others albums.
I'm not sure exactly why DoP grabbed my attention more than any of the other gazer bands. I think maybe it was the innocence and truth you could hear through the layered wash of sound. What many would perceive as mopey and isolating was actually something delicate, optimistic and wonderful.
So the year ends with one of my favorite bands calling it quits. Just another reason why 2008 sucked.
No, this is not a post about the dismal 'Accelerate'. What was touted as REM's comeback sounded more like a death knell. No, this is about Athen's current darlings, Drive-By Truckers.
After several lineup changes and six studio LPs, this five piece outfit released 'Brighter Than Creation's Dark' (New West Records) back in January of '08. Their Alt. Country sound marries perfectly to the likes of Wilco and Neil Young, with a bit more twang and a lot more lap guitar.
It should be noted that this record almost didn't make the list, namely because Robert Christgau has it on his Top 10 list. I fear big bloated Rock critics grabbing hold of an indie band. No good can come of it.
For their 14th studio release Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, went back to the Garage, the New Testament and America's mythical frontier to find inspiration for 'Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!' (Mute).
At 50 years old, Cave rocks harder than an Emo band on the second stage at the Warped Tour, with one of the best backing bands in the business behind him. 'DLD' is their second release since the exit of longtime Seed Blixa Bargeld, and Cave and Co. don't miss a beat, literally, as this album really delivers. Cave's rantings, while increasingly intense and arcane have become more mature and sophisticated.
"Now hang on, my friend Doug is tapping on the window (Hey Doug, how you been?)".
Neo-Shoegazer, New Wave Revivalist or Nue Rave, call it what you will, but M83's Saturday's = Youth (Mute) was a great listen for me in 2008. Considering the fact that I turned the big 40 in November, I found the lush synth-pop a warm sentimental place in which to hide, if only temporarily. If it sounds like the soundtrack to a John Hughes film, its because its supposed too. Anthony Gonzalez, M83 sole member pays homage to all things 80's, going so far as to include a song about Molly Ringwald on the LP (Graveyard Girl), as well as a lookalike in the video and on the album cover.
Ironically, the actual Ms. Ringwald is currently fulfilling the role of the mom on 'The Secret Life of the American Teenager'.
180 degrees from Fleet Foxes are media darlings MGMT. 2008 was the breakout year for this Brooklyn duo.
Their big label debut'Oracular Spectacular' (Columbia) boasted a title as over inflated as the bubble of hype that has swirled around them all year long. Thing is, they deliver. OC is a brash, loud, psychedelic, funky, glam, melodic electropop cacophony. When I first heard 'Time to Pretend', I though it sounded a lot like the Flaming Lips, turns out the album was produced by the Lips producer Dave Friedmann.
The result: Vintage 80's, updated with a rich bouquet of Ultravox, flavor notes of Human League, and a nutty Prince finish. All without an aftertaste of pretense.
Sub Pop has come a long way since the heyday of Grunge. Not a label to rest on its laurels nor let itself be branded by any one genre (except maybe the generic 'Alternative'), SubPop continues to diversify and mellow with age, as Folk made a return during 2008 in the form of Fleet Foxes.
This Seattle quintet released both the 'Sun Giant' EP as well as their eponymous debut LP to rave reviews from the likes of Pitchfork and Stereogum all the way down to Rolling Stone.
Their ambient harmonies are haunting and sublime. Reminiscent of Folk's founding fathers.
Great for a road trip or a quiet, snowy afternoon with a cup of hot mulled cider.
The obits I read over the last few days for guitarist/songwriter Delaney Bramlett were so abbreviated, you would hardly know how prolific a songwriter and performer he was.
As part of the husband wife duo Delaney & Bonnie, Bramlett released several successful albums either with or supporting Eric Clapton.
In addition to his performing, he penned some of the biggest hits of the late 60's and early 70's, including 'Let it Rain' (Clapton), 'Superstar' (w/ Leon Russell for the Carpenters) and 'Never Ending Song of Love' the 'New Morning' countrified hit which has been recorded by over 100 different artists.
I was however, surprised to learn that he was also responsible for teaching George Harrison how to play slide guitar. I had always figured it was Slowhand.
Nonetheless, he leaves us with a legacy of great tunes.
