The Eleventh Hour of Dylan

This will be my eleventh, and for the time being, final blog post of His Bobness' albums. As I've finished listening to all of his albums in The Complete Album Collection Vol. 1 box set, this entry will see me focusing on his releases post-2013 (when the collection was issued). So, let's get cracking!


SIDE TRACKS (2013) (18/9/24)
This is an interesting collection of odds and sods that were either issued as singles or unreleased outtakes and live versions. Some tracks here were included as new songs on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II (1971), which is just a great selection of his stuff from 1963-1971. It's one of my favourite Dylan compilations, in fact. So, the usual suspects are here, the live version of Tomorrow Is A Long Time, from the aforementioned compilation, along with I Shall Be Released, You Ain't Goin' Nowhere, Down in the Flood, and one of my big faves, Watching the River Flow. Also present are singles Positively 4th Street, Mixed-Up Confusion, Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? and 2000's excellent Oscar-winning Things Have Changed. There are also some 'famous' outtakes like Up to Me from the Blood on the Tracks sessions and Lay Down Your Weary Tune from the sessions for The Times They Are A-Changin'. Two outtakes from Oh Mercy which wound up on 1994's Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 set, namely Series of Dreams and Dignity, are also included. 

I think the idea was to have a supplemental disc (or two) which filled in the gaps on non-album tracks, and it does a pretty good job. There's some live version from the Rolling Thunder Revue tours in the mid-seventies and a couple of alternative takes as well. The only song that sticks out to me as being absent is the wonderful Rita May, which thankfully, I have a copy of on Masterpieces. Nice way to end the box set!

SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT (2015) (26/9/24)
Bob's thirty-sixth studio effort consists wholly of covers made famous by ol' Blue Eyes himself, Mr Frank Sinatra. The vocal stylings of the two could not differ more, but somehow, this seems to work. There's a melancholy feel that permeates the material, and the fact that there is no drummer lends an airey quality to the production. It all just floats over you, with Dylan's world-weary rasp taking you through his favourite Sinatra tunes. 

Once again produced by Dylan himself using the name Jack Frost, he has a similar line-up of musicians he employed on 2012's wonderful Tempest album. Despite the lack of drums, George Receli is here on percussion duties, joining bassist Tony Garnier, guitarists Stu Kimball and Charlie Sexton along with Donnie Herron's wonderful pedal steel. There are also brass musicians adding to the colour of the music. 

I'm pretty sure I bought this on CD soon after it was released. I was quite fascinated by the concept, despite only knowing three songs on the tracklisting, which were Some Enchanted Evening, What'll I Do and The Night We Called It A Day. With only ten tracks, and a running time that barely breaks thirty-five minutes, it's an easy listen. Nothing earth-shattering, but it's pleasant enough, and I quite like Autumn Leaves and album opener I'm a Fool to Want You, which at nearly five minutes, is the longest song on offer. 


FALLEN ANGELS (2016) (3/10/24)
Again, we are treated to a record of covers from His Bobness, and I think this is even more enjoyable than Shadows in the Night. Again with his usual band of suspects, plus guitarist Dean Parks and some horn musos, Dylan produces this album under the Jack Frost moniker. And again, like his previous offering, all of the songs had been recorded by Sinatra, except for Skylark. 

He opens the album with a big favourite of mine, Young At Heart, with Dylan and his band delivering a lovely version. The album has a gentler, swoonier vibe for mine as well, except for the hint of swing that creeps into That Old Black Magic. I also really like his take on All the Way, It Had to Be You and Maybe You'll Be There. By the time Come Rain or Come Shine ends the record, you're left feeling a little recharged. Well, I was anyway. I think at the time it came out I was hoping that Dylan would focus on making an original album next. Like, after the two covers albums in the 90s, he gave us Time Out of Mind! Ooooh, what's next?!

TRIPLICATE (2017) (21/11/24)
Ahhh, another album of covers! Who saw that coming? Not just another simple covers album though...this time we get three times as much, as hinted at in the title. Released as either 3CD or 3LP sets, this offering gives us around 90min of Dylan crooning us softly with these songs. Possibly could have been a double disc, or even shaved down to 80min to fit on one CD. Maybe the idea was to emulate the old records of yore?

Anyway, this is what the title suggests: a triple helping of Shadows in the Night or Fallen Angels. The repertoire isn't limited to songs that Sinatra sang here though. The production is just as good as the former albums, and Dylan’s voice fares even better. Once again self-produced under the alias of Jack Frost, the usual suspects appear in his band, namely Charlie Sexton (guitar), Dean Parks (guitar), Donnie Herron (steel guitar), Tony Garnier (bass) and George Receli (drums). There is also a fair bit of horns sprinkled throughout the album. 

The running time of this release, coupled with the amount of songs I wasn’t familiar with, was something of a deterrent preventing me from listening to this album. The high costs of purchase (3CD = $50, 3LP = $100) was also a bit of a block. So, to complete my Dylan blogging, I relented and took it all in, on the Spottersfy, in one sitting.  

I was instantly won over by the opening track, I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans. I'd not heard it before, but dug the vibe and loved the sound of the band and Dylan's performance. Other highlights for me along the way included his tender cover of As Time Goes By, his take on These Foolish Things, a song I'd not heard before called I Could Have Told You and his go at Sentimental Journey. I also really liked a song called Braggin', which decried the use of the concept, saying that if you've got it good, people will find out without you boasting. 

I don't know if it's something that I'll ever listen to again, particularly as I it's the only Dylan album I don't own. It's long, and it's very similar to the albums that preceded it. So, if I'm in the mood for ol' Croon-Eyed Zimmy, I'll probably spin one of those. I enjoyed the listen, but it's done now. I've ticked it off, and I can't see me ticking it again. But now, the occasional track may turn up on a playlist. You just never know how the algorithm will work.


ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS (2020) (23/11/24)
This is actually one of my favourite Dylan albums. Top 5? Probably not. Top 10? Yeah, I think so! It also holds a very special place in my heart because it was a gift from my family on Father's Day in 2020. Lachlan spearheaded the idea of giving me the CD, because he knew I would want the new Bob Dylan album, and he was right. He he he... I'm not sure if it was a birthday or Christmas present now, but I also got given the record on vinyl a little later down the track. In fact, I'm listening to it right now as I type these words.

Before the album came in June 2020, Dylan released a single in March, as COVID was beginning to tighten its grip on the world. I'm pretty sure I listened to it that day on the Spottersfy. It was the song Murder Most Foul, which is the last song on Rough and Rowdy Ways. It's quite an extraordinary piece of work for a few reasons. For one, it's Dylan's longest studio recording, clocking in at nearly seventeen minutes. Also, it deals exclusively with the death of JFK, a subject that Dylan avoided addressing until this time. In true Dylanesque fashion, he paints a picture of the murder and the aftermath, and also weaves in pop culture references from the years following Kennedy's death. It is quite stirring, and I struggle to listen to it without shedding a tear. Another point of note is the appearance of Fiona Apple on the piano. She was purportedly very nervous about sitting in on the session, wanting her performance to be perfect. Apparently Dylan said to her that she didn't need to be perfect, she just needed to be herself.

The rest of the album is a marvel, and as I've already expressed, one of Dylan's best. Kicking off with the sublime I Contain Multitudes, Dylan swings from genre to genre with ease. It's quite a diverse album musically, with the opening track delving into old-school folk and acoustic pop. From there we have a bluesy stomper in False Prophet before the torch song-like My Own Version of You. That's just Side 1 of the two disc vinyl.

It's a great journey, with Dylan again producing, although not credited this time around. In the fold remain guitarist Charlie Sexton, multi-instrumentalist Donnie Herron and bassist Tony Garnier; but George Receli is replaced by Matt Chamberlain on the drums, and in Dean Parks' stead is guitarist Bob Britt, who featured on Dylan's Time Out of Mind album. It's a cracking band. They rock on tracks like the excellent Goodbye Jimmy Reed and they roll on the exquisite I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You.

There isn't a bad song to be had here. Another big highlight for me is Crossing the Rubicon, which features a very swampy bluesy rock-type refrain that builds and falls throughout the track. It's a such a good album. I hope that his Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour gets to Australia. It'll be my fifth time seeing him live and I hope I get that chance.


SHADOW KINGDOM (2023) (24/11/24)
I remember watching this on TV when it was live-streamed during the COVID years. Initially, I thought it was actually live, until a some songs revealed a looped background or musicians deliberately not playing what was being played. All very tongue-in-cheek, and very Bob. The selections were mostly from his output in the sixties, as the full title of the film reads Shadows Kingdom: The Early Songs of Bob Dylan. 

In true Dylan style, the songs are quite different in these performances from his studio versions. They have been reworked, and some cases re-imagined. To add to the show-type feel of the film, all the songs flow into each other, with no silence separating them, rather a little flourish from the band. The songs possibly work better without the video, as you're not distracted by the gimmicky black and white vignettes accompanying each track. With just the music, you appreciate the new arrangements more, and Dylan's phrasing of his old work. Some songs have additional riffs that weren't on the original release, or the style is quite radically changed. The instrumentation is very similar on all the songs, mainly using acoustic guitars, accordion and double bass. There are no drums or percussion either, but Dylan gives us an occasional burst of harmonica, as the cover art would suggest. No musicians are credited on the album (or the film), but you can spot Charlie Sexton a mile away, and apparently T. Bone Burnett had a hand in there as well. 

From the opening When I Paint My Masterpiece, every song is a joy. The tender, heartfelt Forever Young is given another life, and feels as fresh as it ever did. What Was It You Wanted, from 1989's Oh Mercy (and the newest song here apart from Sierra's Tune), keeps its sense of malice although the doom is dialed down slightly. Two album tracks from Blonde on Blonde are rejigged with old-time music-hall verve, with Pledging My Time rolling along vibrantly and Most Likely You'll Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine positively bouncing. A track included on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol.II, Watching the River Flow is still a big foot-tapper, but the bluesy feel is replaced with a kind of Cajun swing. That one is a big highlight for me, and it was issued as a single in April 2023 as a teaser for the album's release in June. I remember listening to it on the Spottersfy, excited that the album was going to be available for purchase. Although, it took me until our trip to QLD in October this year to nab myself a copy. In fact, my recent listening was the first time I've heard it in full since the record landed on the Spottersfy. 

The most radical reworking is possibly It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, which is almost delivered like a soliloquy, with sparse instrumentation that fades and rises throughout. It's a fitting end to the film before the credits roll and it ends the selection of songs nicely. The album (and the film) feature hugely enjoyable performances that are easy to listen to. In fact, when it ends, it feels like we were short-changed, but after 54 minutes of excellence, it's possibly anymore would have been too much. Always leave them wanting more, huh? It's such an enjoyable listen, and there's not a bad performance here. 

There were only two tracks I was unfamiliar with, them being The Wicked Messenger from John Wesley Harding and the instrumental closing track that ran over the credits, Sierra's Tune. The latter was newly written, especially for the film. Not sure who Sierra is or was, but there you are. 

Wow, so that's all of the Dylan albums listened to now. I'm not sure if we'll get anything new from him again, or if he'll tour down this way, but he's still going and I'm still enjoying. Still discovering and re-discovering. Thanks for all the music, Bob!

Space Oddity

Depending on which version you're familiar with, Bowie's major label debut album celebrates 55 years of being in the universe today. I embarked upon doing a blog for each of Bowie's albums in 2021, but got to November and crashed. Thankfully, I only have three records to go, including Blackstar, which I'll blog about in January next year, finally finishing my blog-about-Bowie project. 

Getting back to Space Oddity or David Bowie or Man of Music/Man of Words, Bowie's second album is a far departure from the twee 1967 self-titled album released through Deram Records. Two years is a long time in music, and the growth in Bowie's songwriting and vocal delivery had shifted up a gear. The stunning opening track (and depending on the album release, eponymous as well) remains a marvel fifty odd years on. It is arguably the highlight of the record, and while this album fails to meet the lofty heights of Bowie's later releases like Hunky Dory or the Ziggy Stardust record, there are some other great tracks here. 

As it isn't as focused as his later albums, there are many shades of colour and feel throughout. Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed is a bit folk-rock, and the epic nine and a half minute long (yes, that's right!) Cygnet Committee is feels like an early attempt at prog rock. He would explore that vein again on The Width of the Circle, which appeared on the follow-up album The Man Who Sold the World. Janine is a fairly straightforward pop/rocker and Letter to Hermione is firmly planted in the soil of the ballad. None of these tracks are that spectacular, but they are very listenable.

For me, the album ends better than it starts. Once you're wowed by Space Oddity, nothing immediately after it hold your interest as well. The forty second throwaway (Don't Sit Down) only serves to show a little of Bowie's humorous side, I'm guessing. My next major highlight of the album is the eighth track Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud which is full of stirring orchestrations and an engaging fantasy narrative. This gives way to God Knows I'm Good, which could have sat at home on Hunky Dory, feeling very similar that album's Andy Warhol. The mostly acoustic tale of morality centres on a shoplifter who asks to be ignored by God, and then saved by Him. Interesting song idea.

The closing track is my favourite song here, apart from Space Oddity, of course. Memory of a Free Festival is another long number, breaching the seven minute mark, but's quite an entrancing one. Starting with only Bowie's vocal and his playing of a child's Rosedale Electric Chord Organ, we are told of the happenings of the eponymous festival held in Beckenham earlier in August 1969. Some of my favourite Bowie lyrics ever are in this song, like:

"Oh, to capture just one drop of all the ecstasy that swept that afternoon/

To paint that love upon a white balloon..."

After a few minutes, the rest of the band arrives noisily as the refrain 'the sun machine is coming down and we're gonna have a party' is sung over and over again. The band eventually fades out, and we're left with Bowie singing the line on his with the organ as the song began. It's just terrific, and I love it. 

This album was produced by Tony Visconti, who would go on to produce many of Bowie's future releases. He also contributes bass, as does legendary session bassist Herbie Flowers. Rick Wakeman plays mellotron and harpsichord, and would find himself appearing on more Bowie albums as well, before declining Bowie's offer to be in The Spiders from Mars and joining Yes. 

While it's not very cohesive, the seeds of greatness are definitely planted here. I give it 3/5, after a damn good listening-to yesterday. 

NEXT UP: Hunky Dory - 17th Dec

Album of the Week - Vol. 28

Max Q MAX Q (1989)
Week: Thu 31st Oct to Wed 6th Nov, 2024
Format: CD, iPod
Producer: Michael Hutchence & Ollie Olsen
Tracklisting:
1. Sometimes *
2. Way of the World *
3. Ghost of the Year
4. Everything *
5. Concrete *
6. Zero 2-0
7. Soul Engine
8. Buckethead
9. Monday Night by Satellite *
10. Tight
11. Ot-Ven-Rot
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 46:07


The side project of INXS frontman Michael Hutchence and multi-instrumentalist Ollie Olsen, Max Q came into the public eye as the eighties were turning into the nineties. Apparently the pair met when they both worked on the cult classic movie Dogs In Space, a film I only know by reputation. They released one album and never toured or played live as a band. A modest success upon release, Max Q achieved gold status in Australian sales, and even landed the group ARIA award nominations for Best Breakthrough Artist and Single of the Year for Way of the World. It fared worse in other countries and has remained something of an obscure footnote in the stories of the late Hutchence, and the recently passed Olsen.

This was a tricky one to get hold of, as the album is now OOP (out of print)! I can't remember exactly what lit the fire under me to try and get a physical copy, but it must have stemmed from it not being available on the Spottersfy. Apparently there are legal reasons behind the record not being reissued and that will also block any attempt to have it on a streaming service. You can find it if price isn't an option. At the time of writing, there are CDs on eBay going for $100-200. In a horrible coincidence, I managed to score a much cheaper copy a few weeks ago, on the same day that Ollie Olsen died. As a result, his death has increased the asking prices of anything related to Max Q. Long story short (too late!), I own a copy of the album now, and thanks to a new CD shell, it looks pretty great. Some minor scratching on the disc, but nothing that affects playback.

So, what is the album like? The issue with some side projects is that the artist(s) can indulge themselves a bit too much when they are freed from the expectations of fans of their 'main band' (and the A&R reps from their label). Happily, that's not the case here, although Zero 2-0 comes across as a bit of wanky filler utilising the recording of a conversation or an answering machine. Far out, that was such a trend in the nineties, wasn't it? Thankfully the track is mercifully short and segues into Soul Engine, which isn't a bad track. Kind of funky. 

Touted as electronica or synth-pop depending on where you read about such things, the album is pretty poppy. There are keyboards there, but there are drums, albeit those electric sounding drums that were just starting to leave the mainstream. There's no drummer credited though, only percussion/bowed cymbal/Tibetan thigh bone/scream from John Murphy, who was a renowned session player in the country who sadly passed away in 2015. Gus Till is credited as playing piano, keyboards and MIDI programming, so there could be a drum machine in use. There's plenty of tasty guitar riffing with a bit of wah pedal thrown in now and again, courtesy of Arnie Hanna and Michael Sheridan, and bass is courtesy of Bill McDonald.

Olsen wrote or co-wrote every song on the album, with Hutchence contributing to six of the eleven tracks. Not sure what tracks (and if) Olsen plays on, as the album credits only list the musicians in the band. Despite the fact that the vocals are obviously handled by Hutchence, they are both only credited as songwriters and producers. It must be said, Hutchence's vocals are the arguably the strongest element of the album. Free of conforming to his usual croon and swagger delivery in INXS, Hutchence really lets rip on a few tracks. 

The first single, Way of the World, features a snarling, menacing vocal from him that feels like he's trying to channel Nick Cave. Cave himself has gone on the record to say that Michael Hutchence was one frontman he always felt envious of, marvelling at his ability to connect to audiences in stadiums. It's just as good as I remember it, and if memory serves correctly Hutchence is obscured in the song's video clip. There was some kind of secrecy around who was in the band, which the album's cover also at pains to hide its band members. The back cover does feature Hutchence and Olsen's names fairly prominently, so I don't know what the subterfuge was in aid of. With lyrics like "Whether it's God or the bomb/It's just the same/It's only fear by another name", you're not listening to Shiny Happy People here. Yes, quite a downbeat number, and a little gloomy in theme, but I dig it.

The second single, and opening track, Sometimes is a song that I took a particular shine to when it was released in late 1989. So much so, that I purchased the cassingle! I wonder if it is still in a box somewhere? Must have a squirrel through the garage. It has a fabulous wah-soaked guitar riff that's catchy as heck and the chorus gets stuck in your head. I'd forgotten that it riffs on Summertime from Porgy and Bess at the end too. Those two singles are the best tracks on the album without a doubt. Apparently Monday Night by Satellite was issued in early 1990, but I don't remember hearing it. It's not a bad track! Another highlight of the album for me. Interestingly, all the singles released from the album were tracks solely written by Olsen, suggesting Hutchence's ego was not in play, and he put the best interests of the group ahead of himself. 

Another track I quite like is Everything, which features quite a catchy chorus built around the repetition of the word. That is followed by a slower, almost-ballad-like Concrete that has some nice guitar work and a soulful vocal from Hutchence. It’s also a little spooky hearing him sing “they want to crown me/For the Ghost of the Year” on the third track knowing that he wouldn’t see the end of the nineties. Such a waste of talent. Penultimate number Tight is quite nifty too. Did I say a bit of wah guitar earlier? There is wah guitar aplenty!  

The whole album is more than listenable. It's nothing earth-shattering, but it's nonetheless pleasant, and always interesting. Even after multiple listens, I have no idea what the title of the last track Ot-Ven-Rot means either. If you find a copy in your local Ca$hies, nab it!

    *    *    *    *

Oooh, I found it! 

Album of the Week - Vol. 27

Safe Trip Home DIDO (2008)
Week: Thu 26th Sep to Wed 2nd Oct, 2024
Format: CD, Spotify
Producer: Dido, Jon Brion & The Ark
Tracklisting:
1. Don't Believe in Love *
2. Quiet Times
3. Never Want to Say It's Love
4. Grafton Street
5. It Comes and It Goes *
6. Look No Further
7. Us 2 Little Gods
8. The Day Before the Day
9. Let's Do the Things We Normally Do *
10. Burning Love (with Citizen Cope) *
11. Northern Skies *
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 49:47

Coming nearly five years after her excellent sophomore album Life For Rent, Dido's third effort is a little different in feel, with heavy bass dominating the production. That's not to say it's a dance album, or even upbeat or poppy. No, some songs are a bit more sombre. Not that that's a bad thing. I quite like this album, although not as much as the former. 

Interestingly, the album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical), so the difference in production was clearly noted by others. She collaborates with a wide variety of musicians on this record too, with contributions from drummers Mick Fleetwood and Matt Chamberlain, multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion (who also co-produces), keyboardist extraordinaire Brian Eno and drums from Questlove, among others. Dido's brother Rollo is a co-writer on most of the tracks as well, with Dido credited on each track. 

When the opening track and first single of the album, Don't Believe In Love, hits with its flangy bass-line and pop-heavy drum sound, you know this will be a different offering from Dido. While sales of this album were significantly lower than her monster Life For Rent, the quality is no less. For the most part, the songs are engaging, and the production is right on. 

There are little surprises awaiting as well. Let's Do The Things We Normally Do starts as a sweet pop number about a relationship before turning a little sinister in the middle and changing to a minor key. A similar trick appears on Quiet Times, but not to the same extent. The closing number Northern Skies, one of my favourites, nudges the nine minute mark, but the bones of the song end about halfway through the running time. The hypnotic track keeps plodding along to Dido's vocal riffing which gets some studio trickery thrown at it before everything fades out to a mesmerising drum machine. It just continues on without outstaying its welcome. For me, anyway. It's a nice, big, long full-stop for the album.

I also really dig Burning Love, which after a lot of production heavy numbers is quite refreshing. Stripped down to just guitar, a simple drum track and vocals shared with Citizen Cope, it's a stark track about longing and desire. The only songs that don't really grab me are Look No Further and Grafton Street. I'm not sure why that is, but I notice myself zoning out when they play. 

Thankfully, the album ends strongly with three of my faves all playing in a row. If you like Dido's early stuff, I would give this a go. Even if you've not heard her albums, you'd know Thank You and White Flag. She's a unique voice with plenty to offer your earholes. I must check out her newer stuff.

IMDb's Class of '99

I am in agreement of the claim that 1999 was a pretty damn good one for film. A fair few of my big favourites were released that year, and continue to sit atop of my highlights list. 25 years on, IMDb put out an article about movies from 1999, and I'm going to comment on each one. The full article can be read here. For added interest, Rolling Stone Magazine released The 99 Best Movies of 1999 as well. Find that one here.

Read on!

FIGHT CLUB
Yes, absolutely. Mind you, it's been a while since I've done a rewatch, but this has resided in my Top 10 Films for quite some time. I would be very interested to see what 48-year-old me would think of this one. This resonated with me so much as a twentysomething, and knowing the twist ending doesn't take away from the experience at all. The performances of both Pitt and Norton are wonderful. 

THE MATRIX
This movie was so fresh and invigorating when it came out. It might seem a little tired now, as it has spawned thousands of imitations. Again, it's been a while since I've watched it, and only ever managed to catch the sequel The Matrix Reloaded, which was only okay. But, it put me off watching any future sequels. The concept of 'Bullet Time' as been utilised by so many action movies since, and the fight scenes at the time were next level. Yuen Woo-ping can be thanked for that, a martial arts choreographer and director from Hong Kong. This film's influence cannot be overstated, but the shadow of works like Akira, Blade Runner and even Star Wars are unable to be ignored either.

THE GREEN MILE
Yes, another favourite film of mine. I have fond memories of reading this book at the time it came out, as each chapter was released on a monthly basis. I was living in Albany still, and while I took my time with the first couple of installments. By the last three chapter books, I was devouring them almost overnight. My younger brother Chris, himself an avid Stephen King fan, would eagerly wait for me to finish in anticipation so he could continue the story. I was very keen to see the movie adaptation when I learned of its production. I thought Tom Hanks was a great choice for Paul Edgecomb, and after his work on The Shawshank Redemption, Frank Darabont was an ideal pick for the director. That's a great film, if somewhat overrated nowadays, and a wonderful adaptation. This one is way better as a movie, and as an adaptation. Michael Clarke Duncan's Oscar-nominated performance of John Coffey is arguably the most wonderful thing he left us.

AMERICAN BEAUTY
Now marred by the performance of an alleged rapist, this was an amazing movie experience at the time of release. I think most people struggled to describe the plot, as it is quite simple, but the cast, screenplay and direction all deliver. I'm hesitant to rewatch this one, but I will one day.

THE SIXTH SENSE
Another movie that's the start of a thousand clichés. Shyamalan's debut movie is one of his best, and knowing the twist ending makes you pay more attention to each of the scenes where Bruce Willis' character appear. This one needs a re-watch too! 

THE IRON GIANT
The first animated movie to make this list, adapted from a book I loved as a kid, The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. I guess the name was changed for the film due to the Marvel hero of the same name (although that movie was still nearly a decade away). Despite some small changes to the plot, eg: the book was set in rural England and the movie is in the US during the cold war, it is very enjoyable. I think the movie dilutes some of the fantastical elements of the story (where is the Space-Bat-Angel-Dragon?), but it's still a good watch. I didn't get around to this one until I hit my forties, I think.

MAGNOLIA
Now, this is an interesting one for me, because I liked a lot of this movie. The opening sequence was fantastic, and some of the performances are incredible. But, by the end of it, I was like, 'okay, what was the point?'. The characters are mostly unlikable and the big deus ex machina was someting of a cop out for me. Maybe I need to rewatch it, but I'm not that keen to revisit this one.

TOY STORY 2
Deadset classic, and possibly one of the few sequels to eclipse its predecessor in terms of sheer entertainment value. The introduction of the new characters enhance the ensemble, and forcing the toys out of Andy's bedroom is a masterstroke. Endlessly quotable and rewatchable.

BEING JOHN MALKOVICH
I really enjoyed the concept of this movie, and found some scenes to be a riot, but the characters were really hard to like. That was a tough stumbling block to get over, and as such, I've not watched it since the first time. Very out-there for the time it was released. It possibly paved the way for more ludicrous and far-out concept movies. 

SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT
Yeah, far out, I think I fell off the couch watching this with Rhones back in our first rental in the Beckenham area. The touches of music in this one are outstanding as well, balancing catchy hooks with hilarity. The genius medley of songs, a la West Side Story or Les Misérables, manages to out do both of those musicals. Arguably the pinnacle of the South Park franchise.

OFFICE SPACE
This was a movie that had been parodied and referenced so many times that I lost count of all the 'that's where that's from' moments I had when I finally watched it. Stephen Root's character didn't land for me, and I usually love his work, and I found Ron Livingston's Peter hard to empathise with as well. Certainly worth watching for Gary Cole's micromanaging Bill Lumbergh though.

EYES WIDE SHUT
Yes, this one left a mark. Touted as being a landmark collaboration between the late Stanley Kubrick and one of Hollywood's biggest power couples at the time, it delighted and repulsed audiences on equal levels. Long and slow, as per the usual Kubrick movie, it explored the effects of sexual fantasies on a marriage and offered up a Lynch-like long dark night of the soul for Cruise's Bill Hartford. One of my favourite moments of this film was the underused Sydney Pollack lambasting Hartford for his actions on that night. Just enough ambiguity to leave you guessing, and some iconic scenes to excite and unravel.

BOYS DON'T CRY
A tough watch, this one. I haven't revisited this movie since my maiden viewing. The film announced the arrival of an amazing talent in Hilary Swank, who would go on to dazzle again in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby. The story of Brandon Teena is hard to get through, but an important story to be told, and told to the world.

THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY
Another film that just didn't excite me as much as it did others at the time. I've been meaning to rewatch this one too, especially because the Ripley series with Andrew Scott recently dropped on Netflix. Maybe as I've also watched Ripley's Game since seeing this (not great, imho) I'll have a better grip on his character. Damon and Law do a fine job, but I couldn't buy that Ripley was impersonating Dickie getting away with it. Maybe another watch in the future.

GALAXY QUEST
Another riff on the Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven/Three Amigos trope, but an effective one. I don't hold this in the high esteem that some do, but it's entertaining, for sure. Hardly groundbreaking though.

10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU
Again, not really my kind of film, but Heath Ledger is always watchable and Julia Stiles does well in this reworking of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. 

TARZAN
The first movie in this list that I haven't seen. I've been meaning to fill the gaps in my Disney viewing and I will, I promise. Props to Phil on his fab score, but You'll Be In My Heart over Blame Canada, Academy? Really?

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES
Lauded as an amazing debut from Sofia Coppola, I was a little underwhelmed by this. Granted I haven't watched it since its original release, and I remember it was nicely unsettling in theme, but again, at the end of it I was struggling to grasp the point.

GO
Pulp Fiction for the teenagers and twentysomethings. Nice to see Timothy Olyphant ham it up as a villanous drug dealer, but I wouldn't call this a great film. Doug Liman is hot and cold for me. The Bourne Identity was great, but I couldn't even get through Swingers. 

THE MUMMY
This was a nice bit of fun, reminiscent of eighties adventure movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Romancing the Stone. Fraser was a great leading man, and who doesn't love Rachel Weisz? John Hannah does well as the comic relief as well.

AMERICAN PIE
It's hard to imagine a world where this film doesn't exist now. Despite the numerous sequels and loose concept spin-offs, the original is the best for that mix of comedy and shock. Owing a debt to Animal House and Porky's, this one picked up the torch and ran with it, giving us many quotable quotes along the way.

BUT I'M A CHEERLEADER
Natasha Lyonne managed to be in this movie and American Pie in the same year. Not seen this movie either, but apparently both flicks pushed Lyonne into the zeitgeist of the era.

STAR WARS: EPISODE 1 - THE PHANTOM MENACE
I can remember attending a midnight screening of this movie on its initial release. Though it was a little overblown, CGI-dependent and Senate-heavy, there were thrilling cinematic moments. The pod race and the duel with the underused Darth Maul are big highlights of the franchise. Nice to see Ewan McGregor's first turn as Kenobi the young padawan and Neeson's commanding presence as Qui-Gon Jinn. The hate for Jar Jar Binks was cumulative, and boy, did it land hard over the following months.

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
This movie affected people differently, but it freaked the hell out of me! Rhones and I caught it at a movie marathon in Innaloo, I think. It started around midnight and was followed by Arlington Road and Two Hands. The hype surrounding the movie was amazing at the time. People were unsure if it was real or not. One of the first 'found footage' movies made on a budget of about $60,000 from memory. Never has the sight of someone standing in a corner been so terrifying to me. Don't think I've watched it all the through since that first viewing. No, we have the DVD...I must have...

CRUEL INTENTIONS
Another film on the list I've not seen. I know that it was a remake/reworking of Dangerous Liaisons, but that's about it. The music from it certainly had an impact from memory. Even songs that featured in promos/trailers got some attention! Yes, I should just watch it. And then...I'll have watched it.

*    *    *    *    *

Not a bad list, that. The only serious emissions, for my money, were:

- Election
- The Insider
- Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
- The Straight Story
- Bringing Out the Dead
- The Cider House Rules
- Man On the Moon

But, that's the beauty of these lists, huh? Now, to get down to some rewatching!

Album of the Week - Vol. 26

Quebec WEEN (2003)
Week: Thu 22nd to Wed 28th Aug 2024
Format: CD, iPod
Producer: Andrew Weiss
Tracklisting:
1. It's Gonna Be a Long Night
2. Zoloft
3. Transdermal Celebration *
4. Among His Tribe
5. So Many People in the Neighbourhood
6. Tried and True *
7. Happy Coloured Marbles
8. Hey There Fancypants
9. Captain
10. Chocolate Town
11. I Don't Want It *
12. The F**ked Jam
13. Alcan Road
14. The Argus *
15. If You Could Save Yourself (You'd Save Us All) *
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 55:07

Our son Lachlan loves Ween. Like, super loves them. He went through a big Daft Punk phase a fair few years back, but Ween overtook them. He's been on a mission to find all of their albums on vinyl, but had to succumb to purchasing a few CDs in order to complete the set. He still doesn't have a copy of GodWeenSatan, but he'll get it after he turns eighteen, I reckon. 

Because of his passionate pursuit, I have been introduced to some of their music that I might not have sought out. In the nineties, I was aware of Ween, but only really knew the song Push th' Little Daisies and Voodoo Lady. Another of their songs turned up on the South Park Chef Aid album in 1998, The Rainbow, which I kinda enjoyed. Then in 2000, Ween released White Pepper, which boasted the amazingly poppy Even If You Don't. Side note: that single's video clip was directed by Matt Stone and Trey Parker of South Park fame. I loved it instantly and pretty much bought the album on the strength of it. This was the first time I got to appreciate the band's insane genre-hopping. There was no cohesion, just great songs with productions that seemed to have been inspired by other bands. Back to Basom always reminded me of Pink Floyd and Bananas and Blow felt like an outtake from a Los Lobos album. Such an amazing album with gentle ballads, heavy rockers and everything in between. 

So, for a while, that album was my go-to for Ween. I possibly downloaded a few songs from other albums via Napster or AudioGalaxy or something, but didn't get too seriously into them. Some years afterwards I got a copy of Chocolate and Cheese, possibly just to have Voodoo Lady on CD somewhere. That album was just as genre-hoppy as White Pepper! Another great album, but that was where my interest in the band left me. 

Until the boy discovered them. 

I'm not really sure what got him through the door there. I must check in with the lad*. Anyway, discover them he did, and he jumped down the rabbit hole with both feet. As he set about acquiring physical copies of each Ween album that I didn't have, my music world got a little broader. As with a lot of Ween offerings, each album has some brilliant work, some silly tracks, some immature songs and some bizarre tunes. This record is no different, but I've come to realise that there a few numbers on Quebec that are now big favourites of mine.

As I usually do with these Album of the Week blog posts, I asterisk my five highlights of the album. Each of these asterisked tracks would possibly rank in my Top 10 Ween Songs. The first of these, Transdermal Celebration, has a real Foo Fighters-y vibe and a riff that got stuck in my head for days after hearing it for the first time. Some people might know Tried and True after it was used in a episode of Superman & Lois with the same name. It's a great acoustic number with a severe vocal effect that deepens Gene Ween's voice. 

Oh yeah, if you didn't know, Dean Ween and Gene Ween are pseudonyms for the main creative duo behind the group, Michael Melchiondo, Jr. and Aaron Freeman. Freeman does the majority of the lead singing, the only exception being the raucous mess of the opening track It's Gonna Be a Long Night, he he he. It's an acquired taste, but sets the scene...anything goes!

When this album is good, by golly, it's so good. Along with the aforementioned Transdermal Celebration and Tried and True, other big highlights for include the prog-influenced mini-epic The Argus which features one of the best opening lyrics I've ever heard:

"Yesterday, we lost our lives/

Tomorrow we were born"

Boasting a subject that's deeply steeped in Greek mythology, and married with some guitar harmonies that would make Mike Oldfield envious, this is an absolute gem. I find it bizarre that it's at the end of the album, indeed it is the penultimate track. The ultimate track is killer as well, If You Could Save Yourself (You'd Save Us All). It's a great closing song, as it feels like it could accompany the credits of a movie or TV show. In fact, it was actually used in an episode of Apple TV+'s Morning Wars. It's just verse, chorus, verse, chorus, but the second chorus is sung a full octave above the first to great effect. Love it!

The absolute jewel in this thorny crown is I Don't Want It. Possibly my favourite ever Ween song, it features a magnificent, soaring guitar solo outro with lovely 'ahhh' backing vocals. It's truly sublime, and it takes me somewhere. Can't praise it enough.

Originally, this record was perhaps going to be longer. While working on the album without their regular drummer Claude Coleman Jr., who was recovering from car crash injuries, the Weens released The Caesar Demos. This was a two disc, MP3-only collection of tracks that the pair mostly recorded by themselves. Possibly, that would have revealed an even bigger scope of themes and genres. I do think that what became Quebec could have actually been a little leaner. I feel that the album might have benefited from excluding tracks like The F**ked Jam and Happy Coloured Marbles, which feel a bit like filler to me. The playful Hey There Fancypants and the dreamy Zoloft add to the zany appeal of the album though. 

All in all, it's a great effort from a band that likes to push themselves and their fanbase, and one that I wouldn't have listened to without our son taking such a keen interest in them.

* It turns out that Lachlan just really liked the handful of Ween songs he'd heard, and then saw them included in a WatchMojo Top 10 video. It was something like the 10 Best Underground Bands. When Ween was being talked about, their song Transdermal Celebration was played, which he really dug. That was the impetus that sent him to deep dive through all of their stuff. He just kept liking what he heard!

Ten Things I Love About Dylan

Okay, my tenth Dylan blog sees me in good company, album-wise. After ending the last one with 1997's excellent Time Out of Mind, we've got some more great listening ahead! It's been tough going, but we got there. Read on...


37. LOVE AND THEFT (2001) (29/8/24)
Bizarrely, this is one of a handful of albums with the infamous release date of the 11th of September, 2001. Ben Folds' solo record Rockin' the Suburbs and Jay-Z's The Blueprint also came out that day, along with releases from Slayer, Nickelback and Mariah Carey. That notoriety aside, this stands as another classic Dylan release in his late career. Continuing on from the strength of Time Out of Mind, Love and Theft is just as strong, if not quite as compelling. Rather than deep meditations on life and mortality we are presented with a number of stories and characters. 

Indeed the opening track, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, is just a mish-mash of clichés thrown together into a foot-tapping bluesy stomp, which feels like a parody of any song that ever used clichés. There is a loose story there, and the two characters, of course, but it's playful, and I reckon it's just Dylan warming up and having fun. We've come a long way from Wiggle Wiggle! The second track is Mississippi, now hailed as modern Dylan classic. It's a great tune, and has a studio take that befits it after failing to make the cut for TOoM. Rounding out the 1-2-3 punch is Summer Days, a rollicking slice of rockabilly, old-timey swing-rock and barn-burning hootenanny! Great way to kick off the record.

Dylan's 31st studio offering is one of his best albums of the last 25 years, and his first great album of the 21st century. This is also the first time he's credited himself as Jack Frost for the album's production. A part of his touring band at the time, guitarist Charlie Sexton makes his first of many appearances, adding to a wonderful backing group for Dylan, including drummer David Kemper, bassist Tony Garnier, guitarist Larry Campbell and Augie Meyers on accordion and keys. Other highlights for me include Po' Boy, Honest With Me and the time-shifting Cry a While. Great album!


38. MODERN TIMES (2006) (30/8/24)
After two fantastic albums, expectations were high for Bob Dylan's next long-player, and did he meet them? Did he, heck! Modern Times rounds out a trilogy of masterful original releases not seen since his high watermark of Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde in the mid-sixties. Once again, Dylan produces the album himself under the name Jack Frost. Keeping only bassist Garnier from Love and Theft, recruited musicians for this record are guitarists Denny Freeman and Stu Kimball, drummer George C. Receli and multi-instrumentalist Donnie Herron. The latter's gorgeous steel guitar playing are a hallmark on this excellent album, featuring prominently on tracks like Spirit on the Water and When the Deal Goes Down.

At the risk of overusing the word, the album gets off to a rollicking start with the opener Thunder on the Mountain. An assault of guitar solos and hilarious lyrics, this is one of my favourite Dylan tracks of this century. It has one of his more puzzling references to pop culture in there:

I was thinking about Alicia Keys, couldn't keep from cryin'/

When she was born in Hell's Kitchen, I was livin' down the line/

I'm wondering where in the world Alicia Keys could be/

I've been looking for her even clear through Tennessee

No idea what he's on about, and what his infatuation with Alicia Keys is, but it's funny to hear him sing her name. This album also contains a few other bit favourites of mine, the aforementioned Spirit on the Water, the epic closing track Ain't Talkin' and the ode to the working classes, Workingman's Blues #2. The latter was penned by Dylan as an unofficial sequel to Merle Haggard's 1969 hit Workin' Man Blues. I initially thought the '#2' reference was to an alternate version or a rewriting of an unreleased song of that name. It's a great song, and one I never get sick of hearing, like the whole album in general. One of the weaker tracks (in my opinion), Nettie Moore, also gets high praise, but I feel it's not as engaging as other songs. It's still a good one though! Dylan's riffing on the blues classics Rollin' and Tumblin' and When the Levee Breaks (reworked into The Levee's Gonna Break) are also very enjoyable. It's an absolutely top notch effort from Dylan, and one of my big favourites.

39. TOGETHER THROUGH LIFE (2009) (1/9/24)
Okay, now things start to get a little rocky. He he he...not to say that this is a bad listen, but it's certainly Dylan's weakest offering since Time Out of Mind. The songs aren't as immediate, and did somebody say piano accordion? The album is rife with it, giving the songs a swampy, zydeco-type feel; which comes courtesy of David Hildago, who also contributes guitar. Drummer Receli, bassist Garnier and multi-instrumentalist Herron all return to the fold, with ex-Heartbreaker Mike Campbell throwing in some strings and things as well. Dylan's production duties are again present in the form of his alter-ego Jack Frost. 

The big change to this effort, is that except for two tracks, the lyrics have been co-written by Dylan with Robert Hunter, formerly of The Grateful Dead. That doesn't dampen Dylan's vocal delivery, and the sense of humour keeps in line with His Bobness too. There's just nothing that really grabs you. My favourite tracks include album opener Beyond Here Lies Nothin', My Wife's Hometown and Jolene (no, not that one). The record's final track really falls flat, for mine, as Dylan tries to use a popular phrase (It's All Good), and doesn't land it. Forgetful Heart seems to be lauded by some too, but I don't see anything special about that one either. Not bad, but not great. 

40. CHRISTMAS IN THE HEART (2009)
Now, here's a big surprise...a Christmas album! And not a quick, by-the-numbers, I'll-get-out-a-Christmas-album-for-the-holidays moneymaker, but a sincere and well-thought out affair. Coming out less than six months after Together Through Life was released, Christmas In the Heart is an album for Dylan fans who love the yuletide season. This certainly won't win him any new fans though.

Keeping the same personnel from TTL (bar Mike Campbell), Dylan adds guitarist Phil Upchurch and keys player Patrick Warren. Oh, and there's a fair few burst of choir as well, of course! The latter adding Christmassy weight to carols such as The First Noel and Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Along with the traditional fair, there are also great versions of Here Comes Santa Claus, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and I'll Be Home for Christmas

The absolute highlight though, and I would even say the album's centrepiece, is the polka-styled version of Must Be Santa, an old Christmas song released in 1960 by Mitch Miller. A call-and-response number, that builds similarly to The Twelve Days of Christmas, this sees Dylan in full 'ho-ho-ho' mode. While it's not an album for every day of the year, it's nice to dust off in December.


41. TEMPEST (2012) (3/9/24)
This album is the last record in the Dylan box set that begat this whole series of blog posts. This is the 45th CD, but not the last entry. That honour goes to the Side Tracks compilation (discs 46 & 47), which is made up of singles, live versions and other previously unreleased material. That set is unique to The Complete Album Collection Vol. One box. I might have to give Side Tracks its own post.

Annoyingly, Dylan has released five more albums since the set's release in 2013. So, the box is now outdated, and incomplete. Even more annoyingly was the failure of the proposed Vol. Two box set, which would have collected all of the Bootleg Series compilations together. There's still time, I guess! 

Of the five recent albums, three of them are made up of cover versions (Shadows in the Night, Fallen Angels and Triplicate), one is Shadow Kingdom, the soundtrack to his 'livestream' concert of reworked classics from 2021, and 2020's excellent studio effort Rough and Rowdy Ways. Again, I may need to blog about those offerings in the future.

But, I digress! Tempest is a great album, and one that I wish that was more familiar with when we saw His Bobness live for the third time at the Riverside Theatre, PCEC in August 2014. No less than six tracks from the ten track long Tempest made the setlist that night. Kicking off with the excellent modern-Dylan classic Duquesne Whistle, the scene is set for another fab record minus the excessive piano accordion. Another classic track on offer here is the growling Pay In Blood which features such excellent lyrics as:

My head's so hard, must be made of stone/

I pay in blood but not my own

Other album highlights for me include the bluesy Early Roman Kings, the riff-tastic Narrow Way and the plodding Lost and Wasted Years. The epic title track nearly hits the fourteen minute mark, and is a sprawling account of the sinking of the Titanic. Certainly worth a listen, but not essential. The same could be said about his tribute to John Lennon, Roll on John. It comes across a little laboured, almost like he didn't really want to write it, but there's some sentiment there, I think.

All songs on Tempest are written by Dylan himself, except for the opener, which he co-write with Robert Hunter. He's also produced the album as Jack Frost once again. The band is the same as his Together Through Life line-up, minus Mike Campbell and with the addition of guitarists Charlie Sexton and Stu Kimball. A nice way to end the albums in this box set, and with it, this tenth entry in my blog post series. I'll add an addendum shortly in the future!