Mighty Mighty Bosstones, “Hell of a Hat”

Let’s Face It is the album that broke through for the Bosstones, but I think their previous record (Question the Answers) is easily their best. The songwriting is both sharper and rougher, which suits them well. Take this song, for instance. The “sharpest motherfucker” stuff leading into the chorus is great, they aren’t afraid of some huge guitars during the chorus, they have a noisy breakdown to conclude things, and this song that could have just been a smirk is actually much more interesting than it initially seemed.

The Maytals, “Daddy”

The first Maytals album, 1965’s The Sensational Maytals, was later re-issued with a bunch of extras and alternate takes as Sensational Ska Explosion. The extra junk is unnecessary, but the album is a great view into the early career of one of ska and reggae’s great acts. As this was very early in the development of the style, there is a fair bit of R&B on the album, such as this track.

Ministry, “Just One Fix”

Psalm 69 represents the last time Ministry was fun and not just a repetitive mess. “Jesus Built My Hotrod” is the highlight, but the album is chock full of similarly punishing industrial metal. I think the way to approach Ministry is to probably start with this album and then work your way backwards until it stops appealing, and just pretend that this is their last album.

Earth Wind & Fire, “Help Somebody”

There are several bands that I really only knew from later radio hits that were on when I was a kid. So, to me, they were just these bands that had some corny hits that I didn’t think much about. Kool & the Gang are absolutely in that cateogry, and Earth Wind & Fire is another. This is both an unfair evaluation of the hits that they had on the radio, but also fails to account for the long careers of these bands. Take EWF’s first album! It’s a fantastic blend of funk, R&B, jazz, and rock, and is incredibly impressive for a debut.

Hey, a quick note here before we get to the main act - we went all of November with a post every single day! NOT BAD

Nickel Creek, “Somebody More Like You”

One of my favorite Nickel Creek songs, with the acid lyrics really carrying things, and of course the lovely harmonies are as fun as always. One of the things that I really like about Nickel Creek is how percussive the playing is, so you don’t even really notice that there’s no drums.

Belle and Sebastian, “I Want The World To Stop”

I’ve written before about how I don’t love Write About Love, so I won’t rehash that here. It’s fine, but it’s just a little too slick and it just doesn’t resonate with me. I think this song is probably a good example of what I think. All the moves are there for this to be an excellent song, some horns, some handclaps, sweet backing vocals - but it just doesn’t quite land. Stuart just doesn’t sound like he’s really throwing himself into it, there’s a little too much repetition in the lyrics, and it just doesn’t seem too inspired.

Morrissey, “He Knows I’d Love To See Him”

This is from the non-album single November Spawned A Monster, where he continued working with ex-Smiths bassist Andy Rourke, and is some of the better stuff from his solo career. It’s just three songs, but they’re good songs. You know, if you can stand Morrissey.

Sharon Van Etten, “Comeback Kid”

I haven’t followed Van Etten too closely, but her most recent album (Remind Me Tomorrow) got strong reviews based on having added a lot richer arrangements, and I picked it up. It’s pretty good! I should actually recommend it to my sister, she would like it (she does not read this blog).

Edan, “Emcees Smoke Crack”

Edan is one of my favorite hip-hop artists, even though he hasn’t released a lot of stuff. Primitive Plus was his first album, and is chock full of left-field stuff like this. Listen to that beat! That baseline is amazing, the scratching, the extra samples, and Edan is lots of fun on the mic - clever and with an excellent flow.

Priests, “Youtube Sartre”

We just had this song! SIX SONGS TODAY

Obits, “I Want Results”

There’s an interesting comparison to make between Obits and Rocket from the Crypt. We know what John Reis and Rick Froberg sound like when they’re writing songs and performing together (great!). But their bands apart give a window into what they sound like on their own, and what they bring to the combined work. Outside of his distinctive yelp, it turns out that Froberg sounds like a more traditional blues and psych influenced rock band than anything else. It’s very well-done, of course, but it’s interesting to observe that the punk energy seems to be coming more from Reis.

The Grifters, “Spaced Out”

By the time the Grifters arrived at this record, album number five, they were recording for a mid-major (Sub Pop), in a real studio, and they were sounding like a real full-on band instead of the ramshackle act they used to sound like. There are some bands that get exposed as boring when you shine them up, but happily the Grifters are not one of them. This is their slickest album by a lot, but their country/blues/rock songs sound great, and it’s a shame that their ride ended here.