Daler Mehndi – Tunak Tunak Tun
For all I know, this is the Punjabi equivalent of the Macarena (if so, I’m blaming chinny, who introduced me to it via our Bolly spottylist), but I find it utterly thrilling. The energy just never flags. Astonishing. – bishbosh
Johnny Jenkins – Down Along the Cove
With backing by some essential members of what was to become the Allman Brothers Band, another great guitar lead from ‘Skydog’ & lyrics from Mr. Dylan all Johnnie Jenkins needed to do was have fun. Mission accomplished I’d say. – fintan
Screeching Weasel – My Brain Hurts
Short, not so sweet, and the proof that some old “punks” never grow up. Some great “punk” drumming on the last verse here. – pairubu
Kali – Brother Bob
Obviously Brother Bob is Bob Marley, beloved of all reggae musicians worldwide. Kali is the name of the lead singer who also plays banjo, Reggae Banjo! This is just another album that shows how readily the music of Jamaica is accepted worldwide and how much Bob is missed. KALI is from Martinique. – goneforeign
Portugal The Man – 1000 Years
After a heralded psychedelic indie breakthrough, these experimental Alaskan-Portlanders have taken an electronic-infused turn. For the worse, say their fans. For the better, say I. Fuzz and funky beats – what’s not to love? – tincanman
USA Is A Monster – Grey Owl
Grey Owl
What a strange character
A blue-eyed Indian
Writer, conservationist
Friend of the beaver
Voice of the forest
Exposed at the end to be an English gentleman
I would add “bit of a cad”! For more on this fascinating minor historical figure, check the Wiki : Grey Owl - panthersan
Player and links removed
earworm@tincanland.com
Leaving aside my own contribution… found the Johnny Jenkins pleasant but a bit generic. Sorry Fintan!
Loved the Screeching Weasel. Don’t think there’s much more exciting-sounding than tuneful punk. Loved the drum breaks in particular. Only disappointment: that it ended with a ‘repeat to fade’ – always strikes me as a little lazy.
The Kali is gorgeous. Not sure I’ve ever heard any reggae in French. It works. Lovely tribute.
Quite enjoyed Portugal The Man, but am a bit funny about falsetto. Both this and the next one sounded a bit Super Furry Animals to me – despite sounding completely different!
Which brings me on to USA Is A Monster. Hated the first 40 seconds, was ambivalent about the next 25 (but intrigued by the lyric)… and then it morphed into something out of a trippy children’s musical. And I started loving it. Bizarre. But fab. Although I did think he kept singing “Friend of the Bieber”.
Daler Mehndi Sorry, bish, too frantic. Hmmm, says he, who’s just sent Maki an earworm justified entirely on its energy! OK, maybe it’s a combination of too alien (to me) and too frantic.
Johnny Jenkins Ah, now this I’d love to hear live, or even on a decent ghetto blaster sat out on a summer’s evening round a BBQ & iced-beer-barrel with you lot. Ace.
Screeching Weasel Well-played punk quite often scores with me. I think it was the otherwise-prime-bullshitter Garry Bushell who said “The only difference between good punk and good HM is a short guitar solo”. This kept the smile on my face after JJ very well. And I suspect my girls are going to love it too.
Kali Ha! Another one for the BBQ playlist, I think. Loved it.
Portugal The Man I see what bish is saying with his SFA comparison. Quite like the main riff/verses, but the quiet midsection bits are irritatingly fey. Can’t make my mind up about this on one listen. Intriguing though.
USA Is A Monster Nope. Wanted to slap them. It was only the guitar that crept in from the 2min mark that kept me listening. From there to the end it was more like a tone-deaf roadie sound-checking with Besnard Lakes, which is the strangest thought I’ve had today . . . no more caffeine for me until tomorrow, I think.
1. A little too modern for me. I like some Indian music but prefer the older more bonkers stuff.
2. Fine, not something I’d buy but perfectly pleasant.
3. Fantastic ! What marvellous taste the person who posted this must have .
4. See number 2. Would be lovely on a summer’s evening with a few beers.
5. This I like. Especially the synth.
6. This I like too but perhaps just a tad too “in your face”.
Once I got over the (juvenile) giggle factor of hearing reggae in French, I quite liked it. It does, as GF said, show reggae is more than Exodus.
Strange mix this week Maki, but it worked (mostly) for me.
Loved the kali but couldn’t get into USA at all.
Another couple of listens to the others should sort it.
The problem this week is me, not the worms. I’m spending my days out walking many miles and communing with nature and by the time i get home i’m pretty blissed out. I have no beef with anyone and no axe to grind, and all i want to listen to is the Dead.
So in the present state of mind, the only one i really loved was Screeching Weasel. Thanks all, and sorry – as i said, the problem is me.
Based on tonight’s posts, if was in a temporary complete coma ( as opposed to my normal low-level one) I could turn my Earworm responses over to Darceysdad no problem. & I’m totally stoked over the BBQ. I’ll bring Ickies. If I was forced to pick one one it would have to be Kali ’cause it made me giggle & seat dance. GF don’t know if you missed my E-mail address you asked for so here it is again. Fintan28@Gmail.com
The Grey Owl song, and reading his life story, was the highlight for me this week. Would also like to hear more Portugal the Man. Also really enjoyed Kali, particularly the Marley quotes in the backing vocals. Thanks all.
Daler Mehndi was wild. Almost an Indian kletzmer. Enjoyed it.
Johnny Jenkins didn’t disappoint. Can imagine the Good Ol’ Boys listening to this in a bar somewhere.
Screeching Weasel played competently (unlike some of the original punks) and sounded like many I’ve heard before. Listenable, though.
My stand-out track this week was Kali. Really liked that.
I’m afraid Portugal The Man didn’t do anything for me. Sorry.
Having seen a BBC documentary about Grey Owl a couple of years ago, the subject matter of USA is A Monster interested me. Sadly, the delivery didn’t. Sorry about that too.
Only got a mo to post, so quick smart, and bugger the formatting!
Daler Mehdni – aces. My ears broke into a sweat just listening.
Johnny Jenkins – highly enjoyable. Yes, sounds a bit generic at first, but close attention to the slide sounds reveals that they are a) different to the norm and b) definitely from the Allman studio – either original or ‘after’, as they say at the Royal Academy.
Screeching Weasel – Punk, but tight. Just ‘cos it’s a simple format doesn’t mean you can do it badly. Very tasty. Drummers have fast hands….
Kali – the best. Will direct francophone chums here.
Portugal The Man – Didn’t send me running for the hills like most stuff labelled ‘electronic’ does. Eminently listenable, in fact.
USA Is A Monster – Not my c of t at all, sorry. Interesting story, but the song is too disjointed for my simple, straight-ahead tastes.
Glad Kali was popular, we’re close to Bob’s anniversary and I like to keep his memory alive. Whenever I’m late adding my comments it always seems to be because I have a hard time with some of the music and I keep telling myself to give it another listen; that was again the case this week. So finally I must commit, not a good week for me; USA – not my style at all. Daler Mehndi – there’s a video of this piece at youtube, I watched it but it didn’t help much, sure the energy never flags but I have an ongoing urge to turn the volume way down. Johnny Jenkins, a new name for me but a nice cut, what’s not to like with Allman Bros? Weasel – another that had me reaching for the volume control, appropriately titled. 1000 years – sorry Tinny, also not totally to my taste. Told you it was not my week.
If not being able to get a tune out of your head is what makes it an earworm then it’s Grey Owl for me this week. Having said that, I’m still not sure I really like it!
Then I’m glad I didn’t listen all the way through!
thought Grey Owl might be a bit of a Marmite number, it should be pointed out that it is the most straightahead, melodic and downright “poppy” song they ever recorded….and that nearly every song in their 5 album career had some connection to Native Americans!
Screeching Weasel and Kali were my personal highlights this week