Record Review part III: The Original And Great Carter Family

This was a re-issue of some of the recordings that the Carter Family did with Victor Records from RCA Victor. This re-issue was released in 1962. This is pretty decent compilation, hard to complain against The Carter Family. However, my copy was in the wrong sleeve (instead it was in the sleeve of 'Mid The Green Fields Of Virginia, a similar compilation from the same label), and the record may have had a lot of dust in the grooves, but because the recordings were transferred from 78s it could merely be the 78s, so the condition is a bit confusing. But those factors (probably) weren't RCA Victor's fault.

Overall Rating: 5/5

Record Review part II: Hi, How Are You?-Daniel Johnston

Hi, How Are You? was released in 1983. They were all home recordings, so it was originally self-produced. It was later re-released by Stress Records until they (unfortunately) went out of business. The copy I have was a vinyl re-issue from Eternal Yip Eye, a label that is entirely dedicated to re-releasing Daniel Johnston's entire discography.

Though not quite as good as his masterpiece Yip! Jump Music!, it's still pretty good. It starts with the usual chord organ songs and creepy a capella songs. Then by "Despair Came Knocking" the rest of Side A is almost a descent into madness; only to be brought back up with Side B. This side featured a few songs were he dubbed his vocals over a previously recorded swing instrumental ("Keep Punchin', Joe!"). Overall this is pretty good and pretty strange.

4/5

Currently listening to (as of 5:53 pm): Da Abasi Diam Idem by The Cross River Nationale

Record Review part I: Blood Money- Tom Waits

This is the first in a series of album reviews that I will be doing whenever I get a new album. The first in this series will be Blood Money by Tom Waits. It was released in 2002 by Anti records.

This album is definitely not comparable Rain Dogs; it lacks what I expect from a Tom Waits album. I expect it to paint pictures of Gothic Americana using music, lyrics, and poetry inspired by Beat Poets (i.e. Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, Charles Bukowski, &c.) and maybe the occasional love song. But if you measure this album against that template, it doesn't fit very well. It's mostly songs showing a generally grim outlook on the world, and a few love songs. But if you consider the album by itself and don't compare it to his others, it's pretty decent, it's still got the classic Tom Waits sound.

Overall Rating: 3\5

OH NOES! Let's Paint Is Over! );

The last episode of Let's Paint TV (on of my favorite television shows) aired yesterday. In case you don't know Let's Paint was a public access show from Los Angeles, where John Kilduff paints, exercises, blends drinks, and answers phone calls; all at the same time! The purpose was to get people to do something creative and to just get out ther and do it, without hesitation. It went off the air because the Los Angeles public access channel is coming off the air. It's a shame, and good thing my local public access channel is still up....I think. I haven't watched TV in a while, so I need to check. Kilduff was a big inspiration to me, and I will never forget him. He still does his show online on Stickcam.

Got to these links for more information on Let's Paint and the other amazing L.A. public access shows.
The Let's Paint website
On Myspace
The Let's Paint blog (hasn't been used in a few months)
On Youtube (all of the episodes are on here)
On Stickcam
An excellent documentary about L.A. public access called Public Access Hollywodd on Youtube

currently listening to (as of 3:20 pm): R. Stevie Moore-This Wednesday

Hi, How Are You?

This is a new blog. I will mostly post music info on this blog, ya. The title of the this post and this blog are from Daniel Johnston, a musician I admire very much.