REM did a great (and more famous) version of this, but the original smokes it. What can I say? I’m a sucker for clunky beats and nasal vocals.
“Superman” – The Clique
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Monthly Archives: October 2012
“Watch the Moon Come Down” – Graham Parker and the Rumour
A lovely song about the isolation of a small town. Parker is another one of these terrific performers/songwriters who has only had marginal commercial success over the years. However, 2012 could finally be his year. Parker will be a pivotal part of Judd Apatow’s new film “This is Forty,” which is a sort-of-sequel to “Knocked Up,” this time focusing on Paul Rudd’s and Leslie Mann’s characters. Should be great.
“Wicked Little Town” – from the 2001 movie “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” dir. John Cameron Mitchell
I can’t find the original version from the stage album, so this really good, but not quite as good version from the movie soundtrack will have to do. The best song from a stellar modern musical. “Hedwig” is everything “Rent” claimed to be: radical, transgressive, emotional, and groundbreaking. The film version (which is probably the only way you can see it these days) is great. It’s so damn good, I almost threw something at the smug host at a local film society back in 2001 when he snickered about how “wacky” this film was. Yes, there are some funny moments here and there, but the film is about as grim and heartbreaking as “Pink Floyd The Wall.”
“She Smiled Sweetly” – The Rolling Stones
One of the rare occasions from the mid-1960s where Jagger and the boys played it classy with the ladies. A cool, non-sappy, sincere declaration of love and appreciation. Goes down smoothly like a fine Pinot on a summer night.
“Waiting for the Miracle” – Leonard Cohen
Terrific, latter-day Cohen circa 1992. Brilliantly used over the opening credits of Oliver Stone’s film “Natural Born Killers.”
“All the Lessons” – Rose Tattoo
More no-nonsense Australian hard rock. Sounds like Rod Stewart fronting Motorhead (if that’s not a cool concept, I don’t know what is). Along with Bushwick Bill of the Geto Boys and Udo Dirkschneider of Accept, Tattoo’s lead singer Angry Anderson is the best little person to rock the mic … ever.
“Pleasant Street” – Tim Buckley
Man, I love Tim Buckley. He’s often lumped in with other folk artists of the era, but I think that’s entirely wrong. While he strummed a guitar and often sang lovely and sad ballads, Buckley could turn on a dime and be the scariest, most intense motherf–ker in the room. That voice, when it rises and cracks and wails, comes from a private hell that I don’t want to ever go near. Incredibly powerful stuff.
“The Return of Jackie and Judy” – Tom Waits
The Ramones had their last hit in 1996 with a garage punk cover of Tom Waits’s “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up.” Tom Waits returned the favor with a smokin’ cover of “The Return of Jackie and Judy” released on a Ramones tribute album. I’ve never heard Waits having this much fun and it’s great to hear him cut loose like this.
“Atmosphere” – Joy Division
For those who don’t know, Joy Division was the band the members of New Order were in before their lead singer Ian Curtis left this mortal coil by his own hand. “Love Will Tear Us Apart” may be Joy Division’s most famous song (its become so mainstream these days I heard it in Safeway over the PA sandwiched between Ronnie James Dio and Michael Jackson a month or two ago), but “Atmosphere” is arguably their best. The video is directed by legendary photographer Anton Corbijn (who also directed Nirvana’s classic “Heart Shaped Box” video). If you like what you hear/see, be sure to check out Corbijn’s superlative 2007 biopic on Curtis “Control.”
“Black Diamond” – The Replacements
The Replacements cover a KISS classic, circa 1984. While many people at the time probably took this to be camp, they actually do a respectful and credible job with this one and if there’s irony here, I can’t see it.
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