Deer Tick/Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams
Beyond the Eternal Old-Timey
By Xgau Oct 25, 2011 1:01AM
Deer Tick: Divine Providence (Partisan)
Divided 50-50 fast ones-slow ones, this doesn't rock as unreservedly as the bar-burning "The Bump," "Something to Brag About," and "Let's All Go to the Bar" want you to think. But it's sure the right course correction for guys who've always fetishized the eternal old-timey more than any band from goddamn Providence should. There's release along the lines of "I don't care if you puke in my ride/Let's all go to the bar/Baby just as long as you take your piss outside/Let's all go to the bar." And on drummer Dennis Ryan's "Clownin' Around" there's an equally satisfying release from heroin, the closet, child abuse, or some combination of the three‑-maybe prison, maybe death, maybe hell. A MINUS
Divided 50-50 fast ones-slow ones, this doesn't rock as unreservedly as the bar-burning "The Bump," "Something to Brag About," and "Let's All Go to the Bar" want you to think. But it's sure the right course correction for guys who've always fetishized the eternal old-timey more than any band from goddamn Providence should. There's release along the lines of "I don't care if you puke in my ride/Let's all go to the bar/Baby just as long as you take your piss outside/Let's all go to the bar." And on drummer Dennis Ryan's "Clownin' Around" there's an equally satisfying release from heroin, the closet, child abuse, or some combination of the three‑-maybe prison, maybe death, maybe hell. A MINUS
The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams (Egyptian/CMF/Columbia)
Unlike Woody Guthrie, Williams is loved more for his singing than his lyrics, and boy does some of this retrofitted doggerel lack character as entuned and delivered. Hank's granddaughter Holly and Amy's hubby Vince you'd guess, Uncle Merle reciting a farewell sermon probably not. But what you definitely wouldn't figure is Nashville tastemonger Patty Loveless accessing her inner twang or a Dylan named Jakob grabbing an unusually witty lament (OK, maybe he had dibs of some kind). And what you'd only hope is Alan Jackson imparting just the right gravity to the despairing opener‑-or Jack White two-stepping his find so lustily you know he has an all-Hank cover album on his life list, and that it can't possibly match up. B PLUS
88Comments
Oct 28, 2011 2:28AM
Xgau revealed as cryptic thumb-bomber?
Hawkwind... John of Leydon's fave rave post-psyche band (not counting Can, Beefheart, et al here, dig).
i swear by the extraordinarily excruciating extra-terrestrial excursions of Hall of the Mountain Grill and In Search of Space myself; others go for the nigh formless extremely extra-sonik psyche-noise pollution of Space Ritual. pick yer poison and wallow in the black hole-mired manifestations of their... er... craft.
all due praise to the Lemmy!!!
praise him, i say!!!!!!
edit: bah! beaten to the punch (line?) by N.M.M.!
Hawkwind... John of Leydon's fave rave post-psyche band (not counting Can, Beefheart, et al here, dig).
i swear by the extraordinarily excruciating extra-terrestrial excursions of Hall of the Mountain Grill and In Search of Space myself; others go for the nigh formless extremely extra-sonik psyche-noise pollution of Space Ritual. pick yer poison and wallow in the black hole-mired manifestations of their... er... craft.
all due praise to the Lemmy!!!
praise him, i say!!!!!!
edit: bah! beaten to the punch (line?) by N.M.M.!
Oct 28, 2011 2:12AM
I hear all sides of the Hawkwind Perplex -- yes, they do blabber and ramble beyond the call of doody; yeah, they're sci-fi-rock intellectuals only by the standards of ELP and Yes; yep they have more punch, drive and plainspoken concision than detractors admit; and dammit, leaving them out entirely from a halfway comprehensive rock collection an error.
So, a selective little goes the whole way for me:
Quark Strangeness and Charm is indeed the whole-album highlight, for the reasons mentioned: weird wit, but still wit; things drone better with Neu!; catchy.
In Search of Space marks something new in Britrock world; "Silver Machine" fits better here than on any compilation I've heard; y'know, it is the perfect soundtrack for squatters throwing a cheap-LSD party in an abandoned building.
In the Hall of the Mountain Grill offers the most prominent Lemmy presence of any release; spiffy cover art.
Space Ritual ... well, uh, I consider this one of the great pseudo-classics, can't remember when I last played it, but never managed to get rid of it, either.
So, a selective little goes the whole way for me:
Quark Strangeness and Charm is indeed the whole-album highlight, for the reasons mentioned: weird wit, but still wit; things drone better with Neu!; catchy.
In Search of Space marks something new in Britrock world; "Silver Machine" fits better here than on any compilation I've heard; y'know, it is the perfect soundtrack for squatters throwing a cheap-LSD party in an abandoned building.
In the Hall of the Mountain Grill offers the most prominent Lemmy presence of any release; spiffy cover art.
Space Ritual ... well, uh, I consider this one of the great pseudo-classics, can't remember when I last played it, but never managed to get rid of it, either.
Oct 28, 2011 12:18AM
Oct 27, 2011 10:49PM
Oct 27, 2011 10:39PM
Oct 27, 2011 9:47PM
So, if I thumb up Cam am I showing solidarity for him against a thumbs down , or am I thumbing up his Hawkwind post which is great as usual? I'm confused, and I didn't know there were so many Hawkwind fans lingering about. I'm abstaining from that thumbing kerfuffle for now. I like my metal in the Mastodon and Motorhead and Metallica vane (the three M's) , and in all honesty I've never even listened to a Hawkwind album. I've resisted checking them out until now, sooooo....crap, guess I've got some homework tonight.
Oct 27, 2011 6:42PM
Played a classic while out today -- Xgau's '04 singles list. Interesting how much transcendent original protest music we had right off the bat back then (where is that now that we need some more)? And despite the best subversive efforts of Andre Tanker Moby/PE Eminem & Rilo, la Guerre [French for Iraq] is still ongoing. In the immortal words of Paul Wolfowitz, hard to believe.
Speaking of Cam (weren't we just?), the sticker on the Wild Flag CD says something to the effect of "features members of Sleater-Kinney, Quasi, Helium and the Minders" (not 100% on the order there; shrinkwrap's gone). I just figured out that all four bands released their (arguable) best records in one uninterrupted row, from Apr '97 to Sept '98 -- Dig Me Out, The Magic City, Featuring "Birds" & Hooray For Tuesday. So tomorrow I'll be listening to that. & then maybe cap it off with some Hawkwind.
Oct 27, 2011 6:18PM
Oct 27, 2011 5:11PM
Hawkwind
Quark, Strangeness and Charm is, IMHO, a splendid cross between Neu-style motorik and metal. Prog at service to the music rather than a dead end. I also have high regards for solo Robert Calvert, who I met via the secret progster Tom Hull I believe. Lucky Leif and the Longships is better than Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters, both of which still get played in my house even though Calvert makes the Canterbury guys seem grounded. He hits the "heavy" button a lot but hey so does the Move.
Oct 27, 2011 4:35PM
Oct 27, 2011 3:16PM
What a trip that Greasy Truckers Party (learned about last night, thanks to Greg and Milo and initially Joe's list) has been today! I didn't expect the sound quality to be this good. Brinsley Schwarz is probably the highlight for me, but the head stuff is always welcome to this head, or ex-head. I'd never listened to Hawkwind before, so this live set is an introduction for me. I thought Xgau totally dissed them, but I see a B+ album that I will also listen to. I've managed to get hold of (potentially) the two B+ Man albums, as well as the live one Milo recommends. Plus, what I forgot to play first, the Help Yourself (Essential Psychedelic Folk).
Oct 27, 2011 1:26PM
Oct 27, 2011 12:42PM
Deer Tick's garage-band-Iggy peaks early and more or less hobbles to a close
And not coincidentally, most of the fast ones come early. Everything's clicking for the first five songs or so, but it's a tougher go when the tempos slow down. Can't avoid comparing it to the Middle Brother CD and noting how on that one the others throw McCauley into relief, or at times just relieve him.
Oct 27, 2011 10:10AM
I agree with John's take on the HW tribute. It's not great but it's a fun album. You can't get too emotionally involved in these tribute albums because they're all over the map. I liked the songs that Xgau pointed out especially the Jack White one. He comes across very American too me and has credibility so I'm hoping he does a country album. His screw-it-all vocal style is dialed down a notch here but sounds just fine.
Oct 27, 2011 9:57AM
Oct 27, 2011 9:41AM
can i just say that i've now heard--and enjoyed!--both of this edition's EW picks? no? well, serves me right for gettin' on my anti-indie/-alt horse and charging blindly into the fray.
Deer Tick's garage-band-Iggy peaks early and more or less hobbles to a close (the 30 minutes of silence + bonus track gimmick must die a swift, merciless death, btw [did Cobain really blow grey matter for the likes of this?]); love the drummer's track. the HW thang is far more consistently hilarious, tho durn near all over creation aesthetically. good fun; doubt i'd be willing to pay for either. next.
Deer Tick's garage-band-Iggy peaks early and more or less hobbles to a close (the 30 minutes of silence + bonus track gimmick must die a swift, merciless death, btw [did Cobain really blow grey matter for the likes of this?]); love the drummer's track. the HW thang is far more consistently hilarious, tho durn near all over creation aesthetically. good fun; doubt i'd be willing to pay for either. next.
Oct 27, 2011 9:20AM
Oct 27, 2011 9:12AM
Oct 27, 2011 9:07AM
hmm...I call that Hull list below the "fich I need more money and time" list...
- Miles Davis: The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel (Columbia, 7CD)
- Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk (Mercury, 10CD)
- John Coltrane: The Classic Quartet: Complete Impulse! Studio Recordings (Impulse, 8CD)
- Eric Dolphy: Complete Prestige Recordings (Prestige, 9CD)
- Miles Davis: The Miles Davis Quintet, 1965-68: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings (Columbia/Legacy, 6CD)
- Dexter Gordon: The Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions (Blue Note, 6CD)
- Sonny Rollins: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (RCA, 6CD)
- Art Ensemble of Chicago: Art Ensemble 1967-68 (Nessa, 5CD)
- Herbie Hancock: The Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions (Blue Note, 6CD)
- Paul Desmond: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (RCA, 5CD
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about the blogger
Starting in 1967, Robert Christgau has covered popular music for The Village Voice, Esquire, Blender, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and many other publications. He teaches in New York University's Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music, maintains a comprehensive website at robertchristgau.com, and has published five books based on his journalism. He has written for MSN Music since 2006.
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