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Recent Radioactive reissues: Crash Coffin, Fifth Flight, The Floor, The Sidetrack

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 14:04:10 -0700

Reviews by P. Edwin Letcher

CRASH COFFIN Self titled CD (Radioactive)... Crash Coffin is a fellow from Ohio who put together a band and recorded ten of his songs on a local label back in 1970. Crash had a good grasp on singing, storytelling and songwriting as well as a working knowledge of various musical genres. This CD contains "Masochist Blues" and "the Looney Polka" as well as eight others that are not as readily pegged as belonging to a particular musical style. One song, "Freedom Cake," could have given the Lovin' Spoonful some serious competition in the jug band pop field. Crash had a strong and smooth voice with plenty of Elvis that crept in around the edges. This is actually a pretty good record that I've gone back to more than once. I especially like the closing track, a rambling folk pop ditty about Jesus stealing his "Blue Kazoo." Mr. Coffin did individual artwork for the covers of the few copies of the LP that actually made it into the hands of the public because he couldn't afford to have the covers printed. It's a shame because this could have been a popular record with a little support from a label.

FIFTH FLIGHT "Into Smoke Tree Village" CD (Radioactive)... Radioactive Records digs deep to find lost records of the past and make them available to a fanatical bunch of '60s and '70s enthusiasts. Fifth Flight was probably a popular high school hop band. They were a bit luckier than a lot of other groups doing covers of radio hits in the late '60s because they actually got to record a whole album. Their set opens with a middle of the road original called "Can't You See?" The rest of the record is made up of pedestrian versions of songs like "Midnight Hour" and "I'd Like to Make it with You." It's too bad they didn't have a prolific tunesmith onboard to give them something to work with because they were decent musicians. This will enlighten anyone wondering what a competent group of musicians working the top 40 circuit in 1969 was like.

THE FLOOR "1st Floor" CD (Radioactive)... The band was known as the Hitmakers until 1967 when the changing times brought about a radical reincarnation in the Danish beat group. They brought in a fifth member, changed their name and set about Sgt. Pepperizing everything. There is a great photo on the back cover of the band, in their psychedelic finery, along with their various managers, composers, studio musicians, conductors, technicians... and coffee-lady. This is some of the finest introspective pop with orchestral backing of its era. Things get a tad too LSD silly with songs like "Hey, Mr. Flowerman" and "A Rainbow Around Us," but others have more of a Zombies sensibility. In a fair world, music historians would be mentioning this album in the same breath as Herman's Hermits' "Blaze," but the Continent never got as much attention as England or America. Maybe this re-release will set things straight.

THE SIDETRACK "Baby" CD (Radioactive)... Radioactive Records can be counted on to dig up some very obscure music from the '60s and '70s, but this one is more enigmatic than the average overlooked also ran. The label couldn't dig up a photo of the group and the band never came up with artwork for this eleven-track demo. The best guess of the person who reviewed these songs for the label is that the band is from the late '60s/ early '70s. That sounds about right. This could almost pass for the British band Fields. It's chock full of piano, organ and harpsichord and incorporates elements of classical music in its post-psychedelic rock explorations. While trying to zero in on its own unique sound, the band dabbled in a sort of blues/ Gregorian chant fusion and extended funky jazzy noodling among other odd combinations of eras and genres. The production is good, but the songs could be a lot
more memorable.

The Edge in Bed

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 07:59:02 -0700

See the view that The Edge (aka Dave Evans) wakes up to - (hint: it AIN'T like your view....)

Essential Music #16

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 05:21:47 -0700

What the hell. Tuesday's musings about Under the Pink got me thinking about all things Tori. Even though I haven't physically put on one of her CDs in years, it's comforting knowing that they're up there, boxed away in the attic, awaiting that day when I cannot go another minute without hearing a musical version of an Alice Walker book or a song about having tea with the devil. Which brings us to Boys for Pele, about which I wrote in 1996:

Because she rides her harpsichord as if it were an unbroken stallion. Because she continues to cultivate her gift for conjuring up musical mood and narrative that hang together and mean something while logically making little or no sense whatsoever. And because the photo in the CD booklet of her suckling a piglet transcends mere questions about bad taste and raises loftier ones about who knows what.

Her third album proves F. Scott Fitzgerald right when he observed: �To most women art is a form of scandal.�

Further cultivating her public image as freak extraordinaire, she employs lyrics as disturbing as �Sometimes you�re nothing but meat� and �I shaved every place where you been." She seems incapable of not putting her credibility -- first as an artist, then as a woman -- on the line. She again scores admirably on both counts.

(Seek out the "Hey Jupiter" CD single for the "Dakota Version" of the song. Industrializing -- as much as a piano number can be industrialized -- and improving on the Boys for Pele take by adding some nifty background noise that might be a sump pump or a Jarvik-7 artificial heart, it now sounds like something out of a David Lynch film. Included among the four live cuts is a delicate rendition of the tune Amos was born to sing and which presaged her very existence, �Somewhere Over the Rainbow.�)

In one Stec, we can Usher in a new Millenium

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 05:20:46 -0700

Not too long ago, maybe a few months ago, I stumbled upon a record reissue label called Sonic Past(www.sonicpastmusic.com) which is quickly releasing some of the most incredible vintage pop and rock music.

I first noticed the label while perusing the Brian Wilson section of my local record hut. There sat a CD entitled "Smile For Me" which is a symphonic tribute to Brian Wilson which was produced, arranged and conducted by noted producer Gary Usher. While you may or may not know the name, Usher has been involved with many '60's pop hits and had done a lot of work with the Beach Boys when they were scoring hits right and left.

Interested in everything Wilson, I immediately picked it up and when I got home, put it in the CD player immediately. What I encountered next was a glorious tribute to Brian Wilson's genius featuring many of the same musicians Wilson himself had used when creating the Beach Boys' most glorious recordings. Since it was recorded in 1970 and not released until 2004, the musicians were still at the peak of their powers and the presence of Wilson himself (though not on the recording) and his spirit is very palpable.

This is but one of the great Sonci Past reissues I've been grooving to lately. It seems label head Joey Stec (who some may remember as guitarist for the Millenium) has somehow got a hold of a ton (and I mean lots) of classic '60's pop and other cool recordings you just won't find anywhere else.

Besides the Brain Wilson symphonic tribute are tons of unreleased tracks by Millenium members Sandy Salisbury (vocalist for the band), Lee Mallory, Joey Stec and even full albums of unreleased stuff from the Millenium. Familiar musicians like Randy Meisner from the Eagles and Millenium producer/solo artist Curt Boettcher also have several of their early tracks reissued in album form on this label. There is even a CD from Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora before he joined Bon Jovi and Davey Johnstone's (from the original Elton John Band in the '70's) only solo CD.

In other words, Sonic Past has somehow opened a vault somewhere which has enabled them to present some great pop albums, including tracks of which many have never seen the light of day.
The ones I have been grooving to the most have featured the Millenium and its' members. For those unfamiliar, the Millenium were a soft pop group who unfortunately did not catch on with the legions of rock fans caught up in the noisier sounds of acid-rock. Now, that is a much more simplified description than the band deserves as the band had some of the best production, arranging, orchestration and songwriting elements as any band at that time but you will have to hear them and decide for that for yourself. Sadly, the band disintegrated after their first CD Begin but, thanks to Sonic Past's reissues, many heretofore unreleased and unknown tracks have been unearthed and released which have greatly embellished the band's reputation as being one of the greatest.

Soon, I will review these CD's one by one on this blog and give you the lowdown on some of the leading lights of this ear including Boettcher, Salisbury and Joey Stec. In the meantime, feel free to check out this label and get immersed in these rich, plush orchestrated pop sounds from the past. If you like bands like Sagittarius (who also were helmed by Boettcher) and The Association you will flip over the Millenium and many of the other great releases on this label. Please go to Sonic Past's site and check them out.

The Music Nerd Knows.....

The Movement

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 22:30:05 -0700

Yep, I think I could get behind The Movement. The band resembles one of my favorite trios of all time (The Jam), the singer's voice *is* Weller-esque, and the songs are good. And their live shows look like a lot of fun too!

These Danish guys are touring for the next six weeks all over Europe. Their new demo "You Love is Making Me Stronger" (hear it at their MySpace page or DL it on their news page) is cool and catchy. Good things in store for this band, methinks.

Around the Blogs

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 21:53:09 -0700

-- The DIY RockStar previews an unreleased Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes track from a forthcoming collection of rarities, B-sides and more called Noise Floor. And Each Note Secure has got way more details for it.

--Parking Lot Cities gives us Beck's 2003 KCRW sessions - all acoustic, all friendly Beck and fun and sounding great.

-- rBally is rockin' a 1997 live set by the Foo Fighters - Yum! Fast & Loud. rBally also has REM's Georgia Hall of Fame induction set - three REM songs and a fourth with the band backing up Gregg Allman on Allman Bros. Midnight Rider.

- Hi-Fi Popcorn has "Mental Cabaret", a song from the Polyphonic Spree Wait EP, released a few weeks ago...

Creative Bankruptcy I Love You

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 21:52:45 -0700

Please, people, no more books about the following:

Brian Wilson - This is only excusable if the book is entirely focused on the song, "Johnny Carson."

Dean Reed - One exhaustive look at this guy is enough. There are two.

Gram Parsons - At this point, I can't think of a story that would interest me less.

The Pixies - There are at least two, and none about Dinosaur Jr.

Old School, or the history of Hip-Hop - Unless it's novelty hip-hop.

Tiny Telephone

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 21:46:57 -0700

Go make friends with Tiny Telephone (the Vanderslice DF studio) over at MySpace. You'll feel better about yourself. (via SixEyes)