Up until 1965, this quartet was merely known as the Four Seasons, but you can’t keep a trilling falsetto like that of Frankie Valli out of the shadows for too long. Once he launched a solo career, the other guys were happy to follow the money trail.
I think, for most of my generation, we associate this group with the scene in Mrs. Doubtfire where Robin Williams walks in step, in old-lady attire, to “Walk Like a Man.” Of course, our college rock and roll history classes briefly cover Valli and the gang when discussing the post-Elvis/pre-Beatles period of the early ’60s, featuring Spector’s girl groups, the surf-rock fad (featuring the Beach Boys peak), and, my favorite, the doo-wop style. The Four Seasons were probably the most popular of the last category, churning out almost 40 singles and over 20 albums on the Billboard pop charts.
The group’s fame began to wane around the time Rubber Soul and Blonde on Blonde were being released, but the Four Seasons continued to deliver hits sporadically throughout the 70’s. They are a treasure of oldies and rock’n’roll music, and their songs were usually pretty airtight and awesome. While other vocal groups of their time dabbled in cheekiness, the charisma of the group – and strong leadership of the talented Valli – made them stand out as the best.
A sampling of classics can be found after the jump.
Two years ago, when Daniel Markham split from Waiting to Derail, he changed direction completely. He formed One Wolf, making a remarkable transformation from Whiskeytown alt-country to REM-influenced, Western-tinged rock. Much like the local peers in Thrift Store Cowboys, Markham had come into his own, producing what could only be described as the sound of Lubbock. Markham’s skill in pop craftsmanship was honed, but the lyrics were more introspective, the songs slower, sadder, and slightly more rock and roll than country. It was an audible representation of West Texas; Buddy Holly would’ve been proud.
And now, with One Wolf’s sophomore release, Markham and the boys have done a 180…..again.
I spoke with Markham many months ago during a podcast interview for the now-defunct KTXT-FM. Some favorite influences of his at the time were Nirvana, REM, Deadsy, and Starflyer 59. So what’s the new One Wolf record sound like? All of the above, and more. In a word, it’s a lot LOUDER.
Today I continue my ten-part series showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of last year.
90. IYAZ – Replay
Usually in December of every year, I go home for Christmas. The indie world is dead at the end of the year, so I usually do research on the pop charts, listening to songs I have missed for most of the year. Nearly all of the songs I am happy to have avoided, but there are always a few candidates that make the cut. I’m a sucker for well-crafted pop music, as everyone knows, and IYAZ’s first single had my head bobbing enough for it to make my year-end list. It’s charming, super-infectious, and it name-drops a common household item that no one owned ten years ago (that would be the iPod).
I feel incomplete not posting something before I go to bed, so here is the trailer for the upcoming “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.” I just have one question: Is this real? I mean, I know it’s far from accurate, but this can’t be an actual movie…can it? It’s likely fake…but it shouldn’t be.
One of my favorite bands, the Sacramento-based Deftones, are preparing the release of their sixth full-length album, Diamond Eyes, on May 18. In light of this, I am going back, re-listening to, and analyzing their previous albums to gain a perspective of the band’s past while waiting in anticipation of the band’s future.
Adrenaline had given the boys enough clout, along with incessant touring, that by the time Around the Fur came around about two years later, they were receiving minor airplay on radio and MTV. The most prominent tracks from this album are “My Own Summer (Shove It)” and “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away).” Both are signature songs from the group, giving the listener a more polished sheen to the quiet moans and squeals from Chino Moreno backed up by the metal prod of drummer Abe Cunningham and drop-D riffs from Stephen Carpenter.
Overall, that’s what Around the Fur is: a more focused, polished sound from the band, and a step forward in songwriting and structure for the group. It isn’t a total departure from Adrenaline: the same aggressive plod is heard throughout (and at times a little “samey,” but not too much) and the album is definitely loud, but there are shining moments of maturity from the band that, at this point, the world had not heard.
Today I continue my ongoing feature showcasing my personal picks for the best songs of the past decade, posting ten songs at a time.
290. Les Claypool – Iowan Gal
Where do I begin? Les is one of my all-time favorites, and his past decade work will be represented well on this list through his Oysterhead project, solo work, and songs from his main band Primus. Needless to say, I’m a die-hard fan; I first discovered Les and Primus back in 1996 when my cousin Joe brought Pork Soda to my house during a Christmas visit.
Claypool’s solo work is weirder and leans toward jam-band noodling sometimes, but “Iowan Gal” is good ol’ Les, mostly just him and his mighty bass guitar slapping, popping, and showing off. It’s funky, humorous, and a return to form from the great weird one.
Free Energy are a five-piece band from Philadelphia, PA, who specialize in kicking your ass with feel-good 70’s-lifted rock and roll. Their new album, Stuck On Nothing, is ten tracks of pure easy-going fun. If you don’t like having fun, you won’t like Free Energy.
I first saw the band live in New York during my CMJ escapades back in October 2009, and I saw them again last week at SXSW 2010. Needless to say, they put on a hell of a good show. The lead singer has a Julian Casablancas-like swagger, while the backing band delivers punchy, catchy bass lines and squealing guitar solos the Knack wish they wrote.
A sampling of rocking tunes from the group can be found after the jump. Crank ’em up, pump your fist, and shake your ass.
None of you reading will even come close to understanding what this means to me, except for maybe my former KTXT cohorts (and fellow WOXY peers). I just finished listening to an archived mp3 I kept of Bakerman’s final words before WOXY-FM went dark in 2003. I was listening that night, and, like today, I wept tears for the staff, listeners, bands, and friends who had lost their cool older brother – the one that introduced them to so much cool music. I was only in high school, and I had only been listening to 97X for maybe two years – but, man, what a great station.
I was first introduced to Chuck Klosterman through SPIN magazine back in junior high, and I have bought and read every single non-fiction work he has written. His irreverent, humorous writing links philosophy and pop culture in a unique way. And while his latest may not be his OVERALL best (Sex Drugs and Cocoa Puffs is hard to beat), Eating the Dinosaur is classic Klosterman at his best.
