Violent Femmes, etc.

[berns@lti.com (Brian Berns x26)]

> Violent Femmes:  First LP:  loved.  Original lyrics, fun tunes.  Great
> party music.  Second LP:  Too country like for me.  Only a few outstanding
> songs.  Third LP: Much like the first (Third Verse, same as the first),
> except MUCH cleaner lyrics.  FAT
> and Dating DAys have had airplay here (as well as Nightmares).  'I Wish
> you were FAT.  I wish you were really really fat.  'Cause if you were
> fat fat fat then you'd come back to me'

Actually, though, the album _3_ is their fourth album.  The third album is
called _The_Blind_Leading_the_Naked_ (I think, more or less anyway).  The
first one (_Violent_Femmes_) is best.  The second one (_Harvest_ something?)
is too country, but has their best tune: "I Hear the Rain".  They get mighty
bizarre/religious, too, but a pretty good band on the whole.


> REM.  One of favorite groups.  Even despite their popularity
> nowadays.  Album wise, I like Life's Rich Pagent the best.  And then
> I like Murmur..  Green is good...But it *IS* musically different
> from their earlier work.  Ofcourse, my opinion is 
> sure to change after I see them in concert next month.

Better than Kate.  Sorry, it's true.  Best album is
_Fables_of_the_Reconstruction_ (otherwise known as
_Reconstruction_of_the_Fables_).  Then _Pageant_.  _Green_ sucks
except for "You Are the Everything", "Get Up", and the untitled one.
Of course, these are pretty much the only cuts that get no airplay.

Are the Throwing Muses opening for them these days?  Excellent, excellent band.
Pay close attention.  Oh, and shoot anyone screaming for Stipe.

> Stone Roses

Big thing in the U.K. I am told.  Solid 60s psychedelia.  Somewhere between Simon &
Garfunkel and The Smithereens.

> GOOD GRIEF... Dinosaur JR takes the award of worst cover of the decade
> with their version of THE CURE's Just Like Heaven.. I think it was
> Just like Heaven.

It is "Just Like Heaven" and it does suck.  Why do bands cover
not-even-old hits of other similar bands?  E.g. Lemonhead's "Luka".
Stupid.  Cover versions are an art form that most bands just don't
understand.

Obligatory Kate reference: While we are all chewing our fingers
waiting for the new album why don't we talk about some of her songs
that we don't ususally discuss.  For instance, songs which have been
talked to death:

   "Cloudbusting"
   "RUTH"
   All of _The_Ninth_Wave_
   "Get Out of My House"
   "Suspended in Gaffa"

Songs I would like to know more about:

   "Night of the Swallow"
   "Oh To Be in Love"
   "Moving" / "Saxophone Song"

Thank you.

-- Brian

..buita!lti!berns