Well, Is He? Straddlin'?

I'm kind of amazed (yet not) by the resounding thud "Chinese Democracy" has yielded. The post-90's popularity that Guns N’ Roses has enjoyed in the past five years has a lot to do with the quasi-ironic embrace that a lot of hipsters use to justify their love of socially un-hip music that's actually pretty good to begin with: in short, it's post-modern pseudo irony. But taking into account that it's been seventeen years since the "Use Your Illusion" albums came out, it's not surprising that (a) their original cultural cachet ran out, and (b) the original music industry machinery that made them rock giants has largely been dismantled, leaving them without a viable support system in the redefined 21st century music industry. Thirty second TV spots aren't going to sell albums anymore, guys (did they ever?), and Axl's almost total media blackout isn't shifting any units either.

In its defense, "Chinese Democracy" has a lot in common (and not) with earlier Guns material. Axl's contributions to classic era GnR become fairly obvious: basically anything with a piano. In his autobiography Slash reveals that Axl was always a big fan of Elton John and other 70's singer/songwriters, and in retrospect it's fairly easy to draw a line from, say, "Street of Dreams" to "Yesterdays." But gone is the hard rocking bluesy edge that identifies a lot of the best GnR songs, replaced with a lot of suspiciously sounding mid-90’s riffage that sounds suspiciously like Alice In Chains. Which isn't necessarily bad, but it’s obviously a very different band beyond the obvious line up changes, despite Axl’s protests to the contrary. All things considered, "Chinese Democracy" is a hell of an album that's a lot better than it has any right to be, but the world's moved on and just doesn't seem to care anymore.

Listening to "Chinese Democracy" prompted me to go back and give "Use Your Illusion" a serious listen, my first since the albums came out (not to mention that like a lot of my generation, post-Nirvana I was way too cool to listen to Guns N’ Roses anymore). Both albums hold up pretty well: I was always more into Volume II than Volume I, so a lot of that material seems a lot fresher (but not better) than II, which still has the better selection of songs. “November Rain” is a lot better than I gave it credit for, but “Civil War” now seems magnificently overwrought.

But what really struck me is just how awesome the Izzy Stradlin penned songs are: just like being able to trace what Axl's contributions were, taking a listen to “Dust N’ Bones” or “14 Years” make it pretty easy to divine what Izzy brought to the band. Izzy quit Guns to pursue a somewhat lackluster solo career (that nevertheless started with the rather groovy "Shuffle It All") which seemed like a pretty good idea at the time, especially if you consider that "Dust N' Bones" and "14 Years" are two of the best songs off the "UYI" discs, and definitive latter day GnR material.

Guns N' Roses - Dust N' Bones

Guns N' Roses - 14 Years

2 Skinnee J's

Few bands have been as screwed as the J's: let's just say the Gods Of Shitty Record Deals decided to make an example of them and smited them greatly with volcanos and laughing goats. Perfectly positioned to cash in on the late 90's rap metal craze, they were probably a little too smart for the average mook and just different enough not to interest radio programmers.

The first selection below is a lo-fi (re: audience recording) live version of "Evel Knievel," their tribute to the 70's daredevil who is single handedly responsible for skyrocketing medical health insurance costs. It's a great amped up version of the tune and the only version I've ever heard with vocalist J. Guevera. The second track, "Girl With The World In Her Eyes," is a good example of what I was saying above: instead of acting all hard and claiming they've been listening to Mos Def since they were born, they bite some Smiths lyric. Word.

2 Skinnee J's - Evel Knievel (live)

2 Skinnee J's - Girl With The World In Her Eyes

Elvis

Man, fuck Elvis.

That being said, Elvis used to be pretty cool.

Elvis Presley - Shake, Rattle, & Roll (live)

The Trilambs

Remember how back in Yeshiva, you and your gay best friend started a rap group but never got picked up by a major label and then were sued by the Rolling Stones, U2, Cyndi Lauper, Jimi Hendrix, the Pet Shop Boys, and The Beatles for using unauthorized samples, and the deepest reference you could come up with was a line from "Waterworld," so you called it a day? If you do, then you were probably a member of The Trilambs. If you don't, then you probably weren't a member of the Trilambs, but you can enjoy the selection below. Their complete discography can be found over at White Eye Lid.

The Trilambs - Catalina

The Trilambs - Trilamb Funeral

Marvin Gaye

"Vulnerable" isn't really an album; it's only got 10 tracks, and three of them are alternate takes. It's part of a series of songs Marvin wanted to tackle early on in his career (indeed, some are even missing and are included in an earlier box set) but decided his voice wasn't mature enough. Understandably so: it's difficult, multi-layered material; his voice is considerably less raw than his early Motown material, his crooning skills never more evident.

The original versions are full and lush, both instrumentally and vocally; but the alternate takes have sparer solo vocal arrangements. It's hard to choose between them; "Why Did I Choose You" is more representative of the entire album, and apart from the stripped down vocals doesn't vary much; whereas "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" is a jazzier cut, with a totally different vocal arrangement and lyrics that give the alternate version a very different feel. I couldn't choose between which versions to include, so here are all four/two.

Why Did I Choose You

Why Did I Choose You (Alternate Vocal Take)

I Wish I Didn't Love You So

I Wish I Didn't Love You So (Alternate Vocal Take)

Hayden & Dinah Washington

Really, I should have posted these much earlier as it's just a few days from October, but I didn't. Leave me alone. Anywho, two very different songs about the cruel mistress of a ninth month. Watch your backs.

Dinah Washington - September In The Rain

Hayden - In September

Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash

I'm sure that in most circles, this song is very well known and a classic and everybody knows it and yadda yadda yadda. Well, I just heard it a few weeks ago SO BACK OFF.

Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash - The Girl From The North Country