Lili Verona: “Big Instrument”

Here is a "little" something that didn't make it onto yesterday's program. Enjoy.

Bombast: protecting delicate sensibilities since just now.

(One Hundred and) Twenty Minutes of Pap: Transmission 28, 2013 April 20

Goofiness triumphs on this episode of the Bombastic program. Mrs. Miller makes her first appearance, and New Order present us with a classic "disposable" recording that serves as both "Physical Evidence" and an impromptu "Croix de Bombast." [How many of these latter trinkets have you collected?] I make a bunch of mistakes in the program, not fading songs out, playing the wrong track,* etc. In short, it is one of my shows.

[* EDIT: I am understating this massively, especially after the previous post's #humblebrag re. not "being able" to play songs a second time.]

In an announcement that will delight all of you who visit these pages, I have to say that I am pretty well fed up with words this week. The last eight days I have been immersed in the world of language and I can only report that I am more convinced than ever of its failures.

So have a playlist. And a dancing bear. Peace out.

BOMBAST playlist, 2013 April 20, 1500-1700:

1. K-X-P: "Melody" [Melodic]
2. Frikstailers: "Hazlo Tu Mismo" [ZZK]
3. Wanda Jackson: "Funnel of Love" [Fryers]
4. The Lions: "Let's Go Out Tonight" [Stones Throw]
5. Debruit: "Ata (LV Remix)" [Civil Music]
6. Fela and Africa 70: "Zombie" [Celluloid]
7. (artist unknown): "Bamba" [Honest Jon's]
8. Javelin: "Drummachines" [Luaka Bop]
9. Mister Lies: "Dionysian" [Lefse]
10. Dub Spencer & Trance Hill: "Dub Cup (Victor Rice remix)" [Echo Beach]
11. Mrs. Miller: "Sweet Pea" [Capitol] / "Listening Parlour"
12. S.C.U.M.: "5_8_6" [Mojo Magazine]
13. Bullwackies All Stars: "No Equal Rights in Babylon (version)" [Deeper Knowledge]
14. Daniel Dexter: "Birds" [Poker Flat]
15. New Order: "Video 5_8_6" [Touch] / "Physical Evidence"
16. Elvis Costello: "I Almost Had a Weakness" [Warner Bros.] / "Listening Parlour"
17. Osborn: "Oyasumi" [Rush Hour]
18. Born Losers: "Tokyo Drifter" [Mean Disposition]
19. The Sign of Four: "Topsy Turvy" [Jazzman]
20. Wayne Jarrett: "Come Let's Go" [Deeper Knowledge]
21. Johnny Clark and the Four Playboys: "Jungle Stomp" [BBE]
22. Jack Rabbit Slim: "Long Time Dead" [BBE]

Next time: our second race with iTunes is coming down to the wire. Enjoy the music! --kid catharsis.

Win / Win

The world got a little brighter this week, and in related news, Chumbawamba just released a new single. I actually expected it to be a bit less kind.

As It Is When It Was

A promise betrayed, a self-critique, a question, and a video treat.

As it turns out, it's not a lack of energy that hinders an elaboration of my New Order comments from the other week.  It's a lack of will.

As with hosting a radio program, music criticism is a thing I used to do.  It takes the same passion, but a different approach.  You must contend with, and discuss with awareness and humor, things you don't like.  In my humble estimation I got pretty good at this, and stopped voluntarily when my expanded role as "arts critic" conflicted with my budding artistic ambitions.  In short, I'm pretty good at taking apart people and things with words.  But I don't do that "professionally" anymore, it's even less relevant in 2013 than it would have been 25 years ago--even if that isn't true, I don't really think anyone cares--and it has nothing, and should have nothing, to do with BOMBAST.

Sometimes those old verbal tendencies surface unexpectedly.  I do think some "old" works of art are like "old" friends--no matter how much time has passed, when you encounter them again you become the person you were when you "knew them" well.  Hence the as-yet-unwritten but implicit "currency" policy at BOMBAST--to be retrospective is always to be retrogressive, at least a little bit.  I love those old New Order records, probably more than anyone should love inanimate objects.  The problem with love is that it produces words, and that in my case those words are unnecessarily comparative and brutal, because that's the person I was when this doomed affair began.

So I'm just going to leave it this way.  What a fantastic band New Order was.  Full stop.

I do wonder--does anyone know of any current groups that sound like the one in this video?  I would love to hear one.

At least I warned you that this would be improvised.  I kept that promise.

The Only God I Need

There will probably be a lot of electronic numbers in this week's program, to [over?]compensate for the mostly organic sounds we played last week. But here, have a rock song.

h/t Boing Boing

You Aren’t Supposed to Do That.

Apologies for the delay in posting the most recent podcast.  Here, have a "video" to tide you over.  I had meant to play this the other night--there just wasn't time--as it wound up under our Christmas tree thanks to the Gibsons of Cambria.  Thank you!  I love this record--brand new but "vintage" all at once.  Who isn't sick of Snow Patrol?  Not me.

Podcast no later than Monday, pinky promise.