The Perfect Band for a Horror Movie Soundtrack:

Do you think it might be possible to re-unite The Cowsills to do a 70's throwback style horror flick, say in the vein of "The Last House on the Left"? I bet you're all wondering, "WTF, did he just mention the real life Partridge Family?" You heard me correctly, The Cowsills. I couldn't think of anything more terrifying than a brutal slaying being accompanied by that rain-in-the-park song, or whatever the hell it is, "And I knew she could make me happy...happy...HAPPY!!!" The SST label round up is coming...plus one ROIR label review. Guess which one that is. SST labels will include Husker Du, Meat Puppets, and Dinosaur Jr., so stay tuned.

Beating the Blahs With the Zombies

I've borrowed the Zombie's classic "Odessey & Oracle" from my big brother. I've had a hard time with the winter blahs lately--who am I kidding--it's been pretty rough for me. This blog was intended for loud music: rock 'n' roll, hard rock, punk, garage, and heavy metal. It has started to drift in purpose. I have not been able to get into the hard stuff lately due to my mood being in need of lifting. So here's Odessey and Oracle spinning in my player. I wonder if it's got what it takes to get me out of the dregs.

The first song is "it", the mood lifter: "Care of Cell 44". It is a love song of sorts about a man looking forward to his girl getting out of prison. I don't know why she is in prison, but this was in the late sixties, so let's say it was dealing drugs, demonstrating against the war, or both. All I cared about was the opening old-timey, upright piano plinking out metallic notes and chords, shortly accompanied by a crisp snare and stiff bass drum and this vocal, "Good morning to you, I hope your feeling better baby." That's exactly what I needed.

If you are wondering about what the Zombies are most widely known for, that would be the singles "She's Not There" and "Time of the Season." Rod Argent was their keyboardist and had a great deal to do with the complex--for rock--arrangements. He later went on to form his band, Argent. The other part of the band that contributes to its distinct taste is the vocalist, Colin Blunstone. His voice is ultra smooth and stays at a limited tenor sweep that rises and falls coolly like a saxophone. The bass (Chris White) likes to play counter to his vocals. The vocal arrangements and harmonies are on par with that of the Beach Boys, Moody Blues, and The Mammas and the Pappas. The rest of the album is serene and somber, pretty; distilling quiet sorrow from hope. It is this process of extraction that lifts me.

I could put Care of Cell 44 on repeat and bliss out, but I need to realize a bigger experience. I want to spend a day listening to this album, the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds", The Kinks' "Village Green Preservation Society", Beatles' "Sgt. Peppers", King Crimson's "In the Court of the Crimson King" (to frighten me a little), The Small Faces' "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake", Love's "Forever Changes", and The Moody Blues' "In Search of the Lost Chord". I think a sick day is in order.