SPAZ Reviews DOG TRUMPET's Medicated Spirits!

DOG TRUMPET

MEDICATED SPIRITS

BUY at IMPORTCDS.COM

BUY at DEEPDISCOUNT.COM

For a quick rundown on Dog Trumpet, please see my earlier post about them HERE.

         For over 35 years, Reg Mombassa and Peter O'Doherty have been creating some of the most distinctive music in Australian history.  While they were two-fifths of Australian legends Mental As Anything from 1976 to 2000, they were crucial to that band's success. Martin Plaza (guitar and vocals) and Greedy Smith (keyboards and vocals) may have been in the spotlight a bit more, but Reg's slide guitar and Peter's inventive bass playing helped to create and fuel the Mental's unique sound.  The fact that Reg and Peter wrote plenty of songs for the band only solidified their standing as two of Australia's premiere talents.  When The Mentals went on hiatus at the end of the '80s, Reg and Peter formed Dog Trumpet. Their debut album, Two Heads One Brain (1991), continued in the Mentals tradition of expertly produced Roots Rook/Pop.  The Mentals got back on track in the mid '90s but that didn't stop Dog Trumpet from releasing their next album, Suitcase, in 1996.  Reg and Pete left Mental As Anything in 2000 in order to focus on Dog Trumpet and their art projects.  The duo released three more albums from 2002 to 2010 (Dog Trumpet, Antisocial Tendencies and River Of Flowers), all of which were gloriously unique and inspiring. 

Now, three years on from River Of Flowers, Reg and Peter have released their masterpiece - Medicated Spirits.

While it's not entirely different from their last few albums, the duo have come up with their finest batch of songs to date and released in as a double album... on two CDs! It doesn't get much better than this, to be honest.  19 songs and every one of them a gem. Reg and Peter don't just write Pop songs - they paint aural pictures that they fill in with different shades, colors and genres. But with that being said, the tracks are still very earthy and warm. The charm in Dog Trumpet's music is that there is such beauty in their simplicity.  Dog Trumpet sound like no one else and that is a rarity in this day and age. The album is awash with acoustic instruments and delicious harmonies that offer up an almost magical feel to each track. This isn't music created to shift units - it is music that connects with the listener on many different levels.  Shifting units is just a plus. Fans of Alt-Country, Pop, Rock 'n' Roll, Blues and Folk would do themselves a favor by clicking on one of the links above and buying Medicated Spirits immediately

Highlights: 

     The album's opener, the instrumental "Elizabethan", is similar in spirit and style to some of Paul McCartney's early '70s instrumental pieces on the McCartney album. Yes, it's that good.  

     "Speed Of Light" kicks things up a notch with it's heavy fuzz bass and Psychedelic Folk groove. Peter's affinity for Psych-influenced melodies is immediately apparent here.  

     Reg's "Made In The World" is a catchy Blues/Folk ditty with a keen Pop sense to it  You will find yourself singing this track to yourself and your friends for weeks afterwards (and MY friends can verify because that's just what I've been doing since I first played the album!)

      "Bored Wife" has been one of my favorite Dog Trumpet songs since it appeared on an EP two decades ago.  They've re-recorded it for this project and it has lost none of it's emotive power in this new updated version.  It is touching and melancholic, although a bit more raw and loose.  

     "Ray Davies And The Kinks" sounds nothing like Ray Davies and The Kinks although the lyrics paint a glorious picture of a road trip listening to Ray and the boys, and that is just as fun.  More Muswell Hillbillies than Kinda Kinks, its a track that will earn repeated listenings on your next road trip.  Who needs Ray when you have Reg?

     "Methylated Spirit" has a wonderful hook that is accented by some fantastic harmony vocals that sound almost other-worldly. 

     "What Falls Away" is a splendid Pop song from top to bottom.  Again, the backing vocals really help make the song the perfectly constructed recording that it is. 

     "Camel Rock" features fantastic lead vocals by band member Bernie Hayes, a performance that now has me trying to track down his two solo albums. Hayes gave a stellar vocal performance on "Bloomsbury Birds" from their album Antisocial Tendencies as well.  

     "Broke In Many Parts", "Tell Me" and "Moon And Star" have some of the prettiest melodies that Peter has written.

     While they don't sound like old Mentals recordings, songs like "Telegraph Pole" and "Arriving At The End" wouldn't sound out of place on their albums Get Wet and Espresso Bongo. 

     I could go on and talk about every single track on the album, but my goal here is to inspire you to run out and buy Medicated Spirits, not to bore you with my personal love affair with this double disc delight.  Dog Trumpet have recorded the best album of their career thus far as well as one of the best albums of the year.  Not bad for a couple of fellas who've been doing this for nearly 40 years... not bad at all!

Peace, love and puppies,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

10 Reasons Why You Should Be Excited About A NEW Album From DOG TRUMPET!

DOG TRUMPET 

Is

REG MOMBASSA

and 

PETER O'DOHERTY

Dog Trumpet has a NEW double (2CD) album due on August 12th, 2013. It is called Medicated Spirits. You can purchase it through their website HERE. 

Why should you care?  

Here are 10 very valid reasons:

• Because Dog Trumpet features two enormously talented singer/songwriters who also happen to be two of Australia's finest artists. 

• Reg did the artwork for PiL's Greatest Hits album!

• For 20+ years, Reg and Peter used to be members of one of Australia's finest Pop combos, MENTAL AS ANYTHING. 

•  Mental As Anything did THIS song (btw, that's Reg on slide guitar and Peter on bass):

• Reg and Peter are brothers. 

• Reg Mombassa is one of the coolest names in Rock. But alas, it is not his real name.  I reckon those who have known him since he was a wee lad probably still call him Chris O'Doherty.  

• Peter O'Doherty is NOT Pete Doherty, the drug addicted dickhead from The Libertines and Babyshambles.  Peter O'Doherty is the melodically-gifted basshead from Dog Trumpet. And formerly of Mental As Anything. 

• Dog Trumpet has already released five albums:

Two Heads One Brain (1991)

Suitcase (1996)

Dog Trumpet (2002)

Antisocial Tendencies (2007)

River Of Flowers (2010)

• Their 2013 release, Medicated Spirits, is a double album (on two CDs). Not many bands have enough quality material for one album, let alone a double.

• Dog Trumpet has released some amazing material in their 20+ year career.  Including songs such as these: 

So, what are you waiting for?  Time to head over to www.dogtrumpet.com and order Medicated Spirits.

You can purchase it through their website HERE. 

STEVE FORBERT: The Sony Years continued...

STEVE FORBERT

LITTLE STEVIE ORBIT

(2CD)

STEVE FORBERT 

(The 4th Album)

DOWN IN FLAMES 
(3CD)

Steve Forbert is one of the most honest songwriters out there.  Ever since he released his debut album, Alive On Arrival, in 1978, he has managed to release a series of albums that sound like no one else.  While he was briefly referred to as 'the new Dylan' some 35 years ago, with each album release, he is simply Steve Forbert, albeit dressed up in a different outfit every time.  His songs come from the heart, although he manages to write with a unique perspective on each recording.  Whether he is speaking from experience or writing from another person's point of view, he continues to hit the nail on the head each time. While his voice is a little more gruff these days, he still injects his songs with heart and soul.  He still travels the Folk road that he began his journey on so many years ago, but he has no problem injecting Rock, Soul, Pop, Latin, Bluegrass and Zydeco into his songs.

I was a New Wave/Punk/Power Pop/Synthpop loving kid when I first heard Steve Forbert and I immediately knew there was something special about him.  Sure, I was loving all the quirky, high-energy and day-glo bands of the day, but Forbert was just as unique. The thing that attracted me to his music was the songs.  And he sure had plenty of songs that still give me goosebumps today.

While he continues to record and tour, his most commercially successful period was when he was signed to Nemperor/Sony in the late '70s and early '80s.  Earlier this year, his first two albums -Alive On Arrival and Jackrabbit Slim- were reissued in a two CD set complete with some amazing bonus tracks.  When I reviewed the release on this blog, I mentioned just how much I would love to see his third and fourth albums released on CD. (You can read that review HERE). The kind folks over at www.steveforbert.com informed me that those albums were, indeed, available on CD through their webstore.  Not only that, they also issued his previously unreleased fifth album for the Columbia label in a deluxe 3CD package!  Once I laid my money down on the table, I became the proud owner of the three releases I am now going to tell you about!

LITTLE STEVIE ORBIT (1980)
(2CD)

No matter who produced his records, Steve Forbert ended up sounding like Steve Forbert. Very early on, he managed to become a unique songwriter that stood out, no matter what type of production he was surrounded in. Since "Romeo's Tune" had been a decent sized hit on Pop radio, it seemed like Nemperor wanted to explore the poppier -even rockier - side of Forbert with his third release so they threw him in the studio with the great Pete Solley. Solley was just coming off the success of The Romantics' first album (also on Nemperor) and their hit "What I Like About You".  While Solley's production may not have been as earthy as Forbert's music was accustomed to, Forbert stepped up to the plate with a fine selection of songs that still sound great today.  OK, so the production is a bit condensed, but the songs are as meaningful as ever and the melodies are more direct and immediate.

"Get Well Soon", "Song For Katrina", "Cellophane City". "Laughter Lou (Who Needs You?)", "If You've Got To Ask You'll Never Know", and "Lonely Girl" are definite highlights but Little Stevie Orbit is a strong album from start to finish.  There's certainly a lot of joy and energy coming from these songs and that is what makes Forbert who he is - he has a tendency to add charm and vitality to his performances. The bonus tracks here are from the same era and are top notch, with special kudos for "Planet Earth Song". Another winner of an album, although it didn't seem to do much in raising his commercial profile.  Little Stevie Orbit meant that he had made three great albums in a row.  Could he hit another home run with album #4?  Read on...

The bonus CD is a live show taped on Thanksgiving of 1980 and features live versions of tracks from his first three albums plus a few cuts that don't appear on his studio releases. 

STEVE FORBERT (1982)

For his self-titled fourth album, Forbert was paired with producer Steve Burgh, who had worked with Billy Joel, Phoebe Snow, John Prine, Willie Nelson and Steve Goodman.  Little Stevie Orbit was a fine album, but it seemed that Forbert's music needed a producer who 'understood' Forbert's roots.  Again, with "Romeo's Tune" in mind, the album Steve Forbert was a return to a folkier feel but this time with a more robust sound.  While it sounds slick and well-produced, album #4 is yet another collection of well-written songs that should have returned Forbert to commercial waters. In my opinion, this is the album that should have followed Jackrabbit Slim - commercial yet entirely unique.

"Ya Ya (Next To Me)" should have been a massive hit with the catchy horn riff that carries the chorus into the stratosphere. "Listen To Me" is one of his finest, most heartfelt love songs... and that guitar hook is heavenly. The beauty of "Oh So Close (Yet So Far Away" is mesmerizing. "On The Beach" is a great mid-tempo rocker with a catchy little guitar hook. Other highlights include "Prisoner Of Stardom", "Beautiful Diana" and "You're Darn Right". When it comes down to it, this is my favorite album from his Nemperor/Sony period, but that's probably because I adore great Pop albums and that is what Steve Forbert (the album) is.

Of the bonus tracks, "Suspicion" is a much more successful cover than "When You Walk In The Room" and fits more comfortably with the rest of the album. Then again, I love his version of "When You Walk In The Room", so that is not a complaint whatsoever! There's even two alternate versions of "Listen To Me"... and you can never have too many versions of that song on an album!

DOWN IN FLAMES (3CD)

Now, here is a real treat for Forbert fans!  Back in the day, I read in one of the music magazines (Rolling Stone? Creem?  Trouser Press?) that Steve had gone into the studio with producer Neil Giraldo (Pat Benatar) to start recording his fifth album.  This was probably around '83 or so.  After that, I read nothing else about the sessions and it wasn't until 1988 that Forbert resurfaced with Streets Of This Town on Geffen Records. With no sign of Giraldo on the album, I pretty much figured that the album never came to be (remember, this is way before the internet so there was no way I could keep tabs on music biz happenings).  Oddly enough, since 1988, I had completely forgotten about Forbert recording with Giraldo...

Well, lo and behold, Forbert did actually record the album but it was never released!  After many years, Steve got the rights to release the album.  With some rejigging, Down In Flames is that very album and it shows yet another side to Forbert.  Some of the tracks rock harder than his previous work, while others are Forbert at his most sincere.  Listening to this set of songs makes you wonder why this album never saw the light of day. There's even a few Rockabilly tracks that Forbert seems to have a lot of fun with.  To be honest, it's unfair to compare this to his other work because I've been listening to the first four albums for 30+ years and then reviewing this release after only a dozen listens doesn't seem right.  What I will tell you is that this is a must-have for any Forbert fan! "Underwatertown", "What's So Hard About Being Alone" and "Lay Down Your Weary Tune Again" (later recorded for the album Mission Of The Crossroad Palms) are definite standouts. 

Down In Flames is a 3CD set, which makes it a must-have for your collection.  Disc One is the 13 track album, Disc Two is demos recorded for the album and Disc Three features live recordings spanning the years 1983-85.  Saying this album is a sweet deal is an understatement!

So, there you have it!  Steve Forbert's first five albums are some of the finest Folk/Pop releases of the '70s, '80s and beyond.  He's still out there, recording and touring so maybe it's time you start paying attention!  

God bless Steve Forbert!

Peace, love and pancakes,
Stephen SPAZ Schnee

STEVE FORBERT/Alive On Arrival & Jackrabbit Slim: Special 2CD Anniversary Edition Available NOW!

STEVE FORBERT

ALIVE ON ARRIVAL & JACKRABBIT SLIM

(SPECIAL 2CD ANNIVERSARY EDITION)

     Ah, Steve Forbert... 35 years ago, he was lauded as 'the new Dylan'... which was a ludicrous tag to shackle anyone with.  First off, there had already been  roughly 314 'new Dylans' since the old Dylan released his debut album in the early '60s.  While a few of them (Donovan in particular) had achieved success, the others were swept aside when the next 'new Dylan' came on the scene.  It seemed that every singer/songwriter who played an acoustic guitar and blew into a harmonica was destined to be labeled as the next 'new Dylan'.  And how many guitar-led bands were saddled with 'the new Beatles' tag over the years?  Even the Bay City Rollers were once called 'the new Beatles' but we all knew that they were really 'the new Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods'!

     As for Steve Forbert, he deserved to be called 'the new Forbert' and left to his own devices.  Judging by his recorded output, he was (and is) an extremely talented and unique artist who unfortunately spent the first part of his career trying to shake the 'new Dylan' tag and move on.

     Now, 35 years after his debut album, Alive On Arrival, Blue Corn Music has just released a special two CD anniversary edition that not only contains an expanded version of that debut but also an expanded version of his even better sophomore album, 1979's Jackrabbit Slim.  Both discs combined contain enough bonus tracks to make a third album... and that makes this set an absolute must-have for Forbert, Folk Rock, singer/songwriter and 'new Dylan' fans. For the uninitiated, this set is the perfect introduction to the world of Steve Forbert.

ALIVE ON ARRIVAL (1978)

     Alive On Arrival is the album that started the ball rolling.  With warm production and Forbert's intimate performances, the album heralded a new talent that, on first listen, didn't seem to fit comfortably in any one genre.  Sure, it's a Folk-centric album, but there's also many other influences floating around including Pop, Rock, Country and Gospel.  Some of those influences make themselves known in a chord change while other times, it's in the subtle nuances of the players involved.
     Forbert's voice possesses a rasp that is far from the cocky throttle of singers like Rod Stewart.  Forbert, at 23 years of age when this album was recorded, sounds as if he still retains that sense of wonder, excitement and playfulness that most of us lose when we 'grow up'. Now, don't get me wrong... he is far from child-like yet there remains a charm that is hard to describe.  Lyrically, he is right up there with the best of them, touching on issues that are personal but also universal.  He is smart and sharp but down to earth.
     The bonus tracks are certainly the equal of any of the album's tracks... yes, they are that good!  Their presence does not distract from the flow of the album: in fact, just the opposite.  They actually enhance the album and add to it's magic.  Alive On Arrival is a timeless album that still sounds fresh, even at a time when the market is over-saturated with singer/songwriters.
     While the album didn't contain a bonafide hit single, the critical raves that the album received raised Forbert's profile and brought some attention to this album.  Being a Punk/New Wave/Power Pop kid back then (15 years of age), I was intrigued enough to buy the album, and I've been a fan of it ever since.  Though many praised it's Folk-based approach, I was more interested in the songs, the melodies, the lyrics... Coming from a Pop standpoint, to me, Forbert's best was yet to come...

JACKRABBIT SLIM (1980)

     In the late '70s and early '80s, nearly two years between albums seemed like a lifetime.  Most bands rose and fell in that amount of time.  But then again, most bands didn't release a sophomore album quite as wonderful as Jackrabbit Slim.  Still traveling the same musical ground as the first album, Jackrabbit Slim upped the ante in terms of melodies.  Alive On Arrival certainly had plenty of them as well, but this sophomore rekkid was more immediate and more satisfying if you were in search of a tune to hang your heart on.  

     While the album cover made Forbert seem even younger than his debut, the songs showed a deeper, more mature understanding of the Pop formula and how he was able to make it work in his favor.  The album's opener, "Romeo's Tune", was a Top 20 single and one of the finest hits to be played on radio that year.  The piano riff on its own is pure bliss, but the song itself sounds so joyful, so romantic and so heartfelt that it was hard to ignore.  While most people may not remember it by the song title, the moment the song starts, their eyes open wide and they gasp "Oh my God, I LOVE that song!".  Yeah, it's that good... 

     Fortunately, I can happily state that it is NOT all downhill from there.  Just the opposite, in fact.  Jackrabbit Slim is chock full of great tunes that are easily some of the best things he recorded during his time on Nemperor Records. Just like on his debut, the songs are all top notch.... only better! The songs have arrangements that are full, spacious and warm... yet the big, slick production doesn't interfere with the songs at all.

     And the bonus tracks?  Pure gold.  "The Oil Song" was actually on a 7" EP that came with the album, so I remember wearing out the grooves on that one... which wasn't hard since the song was 6+ minutes in length and cramming that much music onto one side of a single left a lot to be desired, sound quality wise!

     

Forbert recorded two more albums for Nemperor Records (Little Stevie Orbit and Steve Forbert), neither of which have ever appeared on CD. I have no shame in stating that I will salivate uncontrollably if ever they are released.  In fact, his final album (the self-titled one) has a few of my favorite Forbert songs on it!  

So, anyway, why aren't you rushing out to grab this 2CD set right now?  By all means, either grab your coat and head off to a hip record store or click on the links I've provided.  You won't be sorry.

NICK GARRIE: The Most Beautiful Nightmare Of All

The Most Beautiful Nightmare Of All

Spaz tracks down elusive British Psych/Folk singer/songwriter NICK GARRIE to discuss the deluxe two CD reissue of his classic 1969 album, The Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislas

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee 

     Nick Garrie may not be a household name, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t deserve to be. Some of you readers are learning his name here for the first time, while others already hold him in high esteem and insist that he is the most under-rated singer/songwriter of the late ‘60s (and beyond). Most folks fall somewhere in between these two poles, but that’s probably because they’ve never heard Nick’s 1969 solo masterpiece The Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislas. One listen to this slab of Psychedelic Baroque Folk Pop and you’ll be mesmerized.

     Nick Garrie has been compared to the tender and touching work of Nick Drake mixed with the Pop sensibilities of Billy Nichols and a pinch of solo Syd Barrett, yet those comparisons only touch the surface.  Garrie’s work is unique and moving yet avoids all the self-righteous pretentiousness of other Folk-centric singer/songwriters of his ilk. He’s sweet when he needs to be, worldly when he wants to be and always intriguing, fascinating, mysterious and, most importantly, engaging and melodic.  But was he a Psychedelic Folk troubadour, as many have claimed? 

     “I’ve never categorized my stuff, “says Nick these days. “It made me smile to see it categorized as ‘Psychedelic’!”

     Nick’s original demos were striking, beautiful and often haunting, rooted here on earth yet they obviously possessed a head full of stars.  Once his producer Peter Vartan got a hold of the songs, he brought in an orchestra in order to take them to a whole new level.

      “Lost and confused!” is how Garrie describes his initial reaction to Peter’s grandiose production of his songs. “Vartan was appointed by Disc AZ (Nick’s label). He was a very nice man who did his best.”

     While Nick himself was a bit concerned about the direction of his album, one listen to Stanislas today reveals a collection of songs full of melodic wonder. While comparisons may be made to some of his contemporaries, there is no discernable influence in his music.  He was (and is) a unique songwriter.  It is as if Garrie had arrived from another planet, recorded this wonderfully warm collection of songs and then faded into the mist. 

     While fans and music lovers are completely gob-smacked by the album, Nick’s initial reaction was far less favorable.

     “I was disappointed,” he says, some four decades after the album’s release.

     The most shocking thing about the Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislas album is that it was never officially released! The album was doomed once his label couldn’t figure out how to promote and market the album and then its fate was sealed when the label’s head, Lucien Morisse, committed suicide. With all these disappointments, Garrie walked away from Stanislas and didn’t bother to look back.

     In most cases, that would have been the end of that.  While Garrie still recorded sporadically (including releases under the name Nick Hamilton), his output was not exactly prolific.  But the Stanislas album soon became a legend amongst the hardcore music collectors.  It was the holiest of holy grails!  The internet’s far reaching capabilities only helped the legend to grow. And all the while, Garrie was oblivious to the hordes of devoted followers and fanatics who deciphered his every word and musical note. Well, that is until the first part of the millennium!

     “When I started teaching seven years ago, I typed in ‘Nick Garrie’ as a joke.” he says about the first time he discovered that his long-forgotten album had an immense and devoted following. “I was absolutely stunned!”

    By 2009, four decades after his debut, Garrie was back in the studio with a host of devoted followers and new musical co-horts including Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) and Duglas T. Stewart and Francis McDonald of BMX Bandits. The resulting album, 49 Arlington Gardens (Elefant Records), was one of the best albums of the year.  His voice and musical style were instantly familiar, yet age had brought depth and more confidence to the songs.  While not as epic as Stanislas, the album was every bit as beautiful. 

     “The recording was a joy: different young people turning up. It was like a little cottage industry. “remembers Garrie. “I'm very proud and grateful for that album and, yes, I do think one or two of the songs might glisten in the sun, so to speak, and when I play them live, they sit well with the Stanislas songs.”

     While 49 Arlington Gardens may have brought Nick’s career full circle, there was still some unfinished business in regards to Stanislas.  While the album had been officially released in CD a handful of years ago, it was just crying out for an expanded edition. Thankfully, the good folks at Elefant Records were more than prepared to take on the project.

     On The Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislas, the 40^th Anniversary two CD deluxe edition, fans are treated to a treasure trove of bonus material. Disc One contains the original album while Disc Two features a glorious assortment of rare and unreleased tracks including songs of a more recent vintage, Nick’s first single and acoustic demos of songs that would later make it onto Stanislas. It also comes with liner notes written by Garrie. In short, it’s essential purchasing and listening!

     So, what does the man himself think of this long overdue expanded reissue of his mythical and legendary debut album?

     “Elefant have presented Stanislas with the love they give to all their productions.” He says. “I think it’s beautiful and I'm very proud. It gives me a jaunty side step!”

Thanks to Nick Garrie

Special Thanks to Luis Calvo and James Agren