A Record a Week: Femme Fatale - Fire Baptism

SIDE 1.
FIRE BAPTISM (Reprise)
BIG GAME HUMAN HUNTING
DANCE PARTY
STABBING VICTIM

SIDE 2.
COKEHEAD METABOLISM
TORMENTED BY DEMONS
BENTONOUVEAU MANIFESTO

As I talked about last week, this was actually the first recorded album, but the second release. The sound is not quite as refined, though it is still an aural assault in a short burst, true to JFK's form.

I don't like this album quite as much, although it is still pretty great. I think perhaps Al P hadn't quite wrapped his head around the best recording technique, or perhaps his studio wasn't as polished or the mastering wasn't as well done, but the sound quality isn't as excellent as the other albums.

I think the best songs are the last two of the whole record, and especially Bentonouveau Manifesto, which I can only imagine alludes to the ready-made sushi company of the same name.

It is bittersweet to listen to records like this. They remind me of a time seeing/playing lots of shows with these guys and what felt like a really great time for music, while reminding me that these bands are no longer and the bands that have moved in their place don't have the same feeling to me. Or more likely, I am just old.

Sunday Brunch: Corn Muffins

This recipe was from my mother's file, with minor adjustments for veganism.



INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Cornmeal
1/2 cup Margarine
1 Egg Replacer
3/4 cup Soy Milk


Preheat oven to 375F.

Combine dry ingredients except cornmeal, then gently stir in cornmeal. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and beat until margarine is in small chunks. Mix wet and dry and stir until just mixed. Spoon into greased muffin tin to about 2/3 full, bake for 15-20 minutes or until knife comes clean and top is lightly golden.

A Record a Week: Femme Fatale - As You Sow, So Shall You Reap

SIDE 1.
BLOOD MONEY (Reprise)
I AM FUCKING INVINCIBLE
HANDGUN FANTASY
FUNERAL PARTY

SIDE 2.
BLOOD MONEY
HANDS UP BABY
AS YOU SOW, SO SHALL YOU REAP

This record was the second Femme Fatale record recorded, but the first released. This could be a scheduling thing, a strategic release, or possibly because the record label for this record may have had their crap together a bit more to pump it out quickly.

Containing the first (second?) sub-20 minute burst of fast-paced aggressive music from the mind of Jesse F Keeler. While Keeler was playing in Black Cat #13, he became upset with the band and started this as his side project. Over time, he recorded the music and when he got around to recording all of the songs, he recruited his then girlfriend, an ex-Standing 8 band-mate and a couple of others to fill out the lineup while he kept to the microphone. Their live performances were know for being like a 15 minute musical sprint. The short songs had little break between them and the band would go full volume and full power for the duration of the set, leaving their shirts covered in sweat and instruments covered in blood.

Keeler and his girlfriend broke up and they decided to continue with no keyboard shortly after. In the end, the fact that the band was really the baby of Keeler, matched with the grueling show schedule ended up being too much for the band as a whole. There was a pretty good overlap in time with Femme Fatale and Death From Above (1979), which was (and is again) a pet project of Sebastien Grainger and Jesse Keeler that took on a life of its own once it started going.

Anyhow, back to this record. As with their live performance, the records are swift and to the point. They all tend to have a lead-in that is instrumental. This one also includes a musical outro as well. I think the cohesiveness of this album is great and it also has one of, if not my favourite Femme Fatale song, Hands Up Baby.

I was happy to hear about the recent reunion of DFA1979, but I REALLY would love to see a Femme Fatale reunion.

A Record a Week: The Faint - Mote/Dust

SIDE 1.
MOTE
VICTIM CONVENIENCE (Remixed by The Lack)

SIDE 2.
DUST (Feat. Bright Eyes)
THE PASSIVES (Spectated Wished remix by Psyrendust)

This 12" single contains two songs not found on any full-length albums, as well as two previous songs remixed. Most notable on this record is 'Dust' which features Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, who was in the band in its inception, when they were known as Norman Bailer.

The sound that would become the core of The Faint is influenced by the industrial music of the 90's. However, they mix in a heavy dose of indie, pop and synth to create a sound that isn't exactly like any one of those styles.

Though this album is just a small sampling, I remember REALLY liking Blank-Wave Arcade and Danse Macabre when I was younger. It was a familiar sound with a fresh take all at the same time. I bought a ticket to see them play at Lee's Palace in Toronto just months before my 19th birthday. Lee's was a notorious (and still is I imagine) for IDing people at the door, so I was in a bit of a panic. I borrowed an old ID from a guy I went to school with that was an expired Nova Scotia license. It wasn't much to go on, but it was all I had. I had never really been all that interested in seeking out a fake ID, as I wasn't a huge drinker and didn't know the city all that well yet.

I overdid things completely, wearing sunglasses and having my hair over my face. Luckily, the bouncer must have been in a good mood, because he let me in after my lame story about just moving to town and not having my new Ontario License yet. Also luckily, I had checked the paper to see what sign the guy was in case that was a quiz question, which it turned out to be.

Anyhow the concert was good, but I sort of lost interest in the band not long after that. It was nice to hear them again and maybe I will throw a couple songs on my phone if I can track down the cds in my basement.

A Record a Week: Elvis - Elvis Presley Commemorative Album (not the rare one)

2 things. For one, a recent dose of being away, coupled with an altered Saturday schedule has lead me to be lax about this lately. Today I will do two and hopefully that can kick me back into gear. Secondly, this record comes in two forms. I do not have the limited gatefold yellow-coloured version. I have what I believe to be the earlier and somehow less desired version. Anyhow...



SIDE 1.
HOUND DOG
I WANT YOU, I NEED YOU, I LOVE YOU
ALL SHOOK UP
DON'T
I BEG OF YOU

SIDE 2.
BIG HUNK O' LOVE
LOVE ME
STUCK ON YOU
GOOD LUCK CHARM
RETURN TO SENDER

SIDE 3.
DON'T BE CRUEL
LOVING YOU
JAILHOUSE ROCK
CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE
I GOT STUNG

SIDE 4.
(LET ME BE YOUR) TEDDY BEAR
LOVE ME TENDER
HARD HEADED WOMAN
IT'S NOW OR NEVER
SURRENDER

I find compilation albums to be a tricky thing. Musicians like Elvis seem to have an endless amount of them. If you are going about compiling one for a band or solo artist, how do you approach it? Double album? Include rarities to allow your collection to differ from other ones out there? Split the album up into different volumes? And then there are the subsequent issues such as what super-hits do you leave off of volume 1 to make sure you have a solid core for the next one(s)? Do you include cover songs or only originals?

The one thing that can be said for sure is that if you are 'kind of' interested in a band or musician, the best way to check them out without dedicating the time to their discography is to check out a greatest hits compilation. Either that or ask an existing fan what the best album in their opinion is.

RCA's angle on this one was 'Commemorative Album', which sets it apart from regular greatest hits albums just by having a different name. As far as music, no real surprises here. The standard Elvis hits, mixed with some second and even third-tiered songs and a coupled of covers. No doubt these songs are only the ones RCA had control of, as record labels have always been pretty picky about that kind of stuff.

It's a good record. I would say no better or no worse than any other Elvis records (that I can think of) and the Yellow vinyl copy is said to be worth $50 or so these days, so I suppose that is a bonus if you're a rarities finder.