TOP TEN SONGS I WOULD RESCUE FROM A BURNING BUILDING (thanks to Bill for the suggestion, if not the idea)
by
Tim Murphy
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, 1969 - It is the one I listen to the most, though I like all of the band's studio records. I prefer the original mix to the closet mix (the latter being one in which Lou Reed pushed all his vocals far to the front, without asking his fellow bandmates about it), so I tend to listen to my cassette copy more often. It is a sad and sedate record, but has moments of lightness, giddiness and even rockin', so it pushes all the right buttons.
Yoko Ono, APPRXIMATELY INFINITE UNIVERSE, 1973 - I do have a certain affection for her earlier works, and parts of her later material, but I am also biased towards actual songs with true passion, or at least a tighter structure within which to experiment and some sort of honesty. I realize I am putting myself up to ridicule with this choice, but it simply speaks to my soul, be it the harrowing 'Death of Samantha', the touching but blunt 'What A Bastard The World Is' or the campy, Latin-tinged 'What A Mess'. And I happen to like Yoko's voice - and Dylan's voice - and Lou Reed's voice - and Ray Davies' voice - and...I could go on, and have been known to, believe me...
Team Dresch, CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN, 1996 - If you have to have ONE record by an openly lesbian math-pop-rock combo with two singers in your collection, this should be the one. In addition to featuring the supremely talented Ms Donna Dresch on guitar and bass, it launched the career of Kaia, guitarist/vocalist of the band Butchies. Their debut album, PERSONAL BEST (1994), is pretty fine too, but this one is more polished and overtly political and subtle at the same time, and has better tunes...
Sunnychar, YOU'RE MY BATTERY 7", 1994 - When I'm feeling really low, I pop this one on. It's a truly spiffy piece of Japanese punk pop, whose title track is a sort of Monkees-gone-pogoing tribute the lust/love. The flip side kicks off with a take on Yoko's "Sisters O Sisters" that is to die for. There are two other selections on her that aren't essential, but even they have their cheering, charging charms. If only this band had done a full-length... :
Fifth Column, 36C, 1994) - Yes, I know - ANOTHER Fifth Column reference!! Actually, I could have picked both of their other albums, as well as a single or two, but I am holding myself to one. This combines the experimental/narrative elements of their first album with the driving rhythms and hooky tunes of the second, while adding better production for the vocals. The sarcastic surf-snarl of 'All Women Are Bitches'; the eminently fruggable 'The Bug'; the lesbian love letter of 'Donna'; what is not to love on this record, except perhaps its brevity?
Nico, DESERTSHORE (1971) - Once more, a tough choice, but, of the trilogy of dark gothic material she did with John Cale, this is perhaps the one where sunlight might glint through here and there, if only in the precious cameo by her son and the glorious piano section of 'The Falconer'. Otherwise, a bleak, strangely beautiful and (again) brief glimpse into the life of a troubled, creative woman.
RAINCOATS, 1979 - In its clattering rhythms, screeching violins, dispassionate observations of urban terror and violence, and, above all, in its refusal to see musical and vocal limitations as anything but an invitation to seek alternate routes to the Muse, the debut album by the godmothers of vaguely experimental punk-pop-world-jazz-rock may come as close to a feminist Velvet Underground analogue as one shall get. While 'Off Duty Trip' is painfully observant in its lyrical dissection of rape and male power, one can take necessary pleasure in the even-further-gender-fucked take on the Kinks' "Lola". Thanks to Kurt and Courtney, this and their other two original albums were re-issued by Geffen in 1993, and the core duo put together a new line-up for a release and short-lived reunion in 1996. Look hard...
Half Japanese, GREATEST HITS, 1995 - Until quite recently, I would have recommended this 2-CD/3-LP (the vinyl version was harshly limited, and I doubt you could find one now...) set largely because you would have had bugger-all chance of finding most of this chaotic, noisy, loveable bunch of amateurs' material for love or money. There has been a recent spate of re-issues, however, so getting the earliest stuff may not be as impossible. Given that, I would still plug this as a good overview of a career spent on sheer enthusiasm and love for music. A band that evolved from literal into tuneful crashing and banging, without losing the heart that drives both kinds of joyful noise.
The Fall, THIS NATION'S SAVING GRACE, 1985 - We are back at the 'Must I take ONLY ONE!?' dilemma again. I think I would pick this one because it is the easiest argument for the Fall being surreal comics, or at least possessed of Kafka or Vonnegut's sardonic humour. Mark E Smith may have a lot of faults (in fact, that list might arguably take up the rest of this article, so I will not start), but his evil wit and literate rants, not to mention his general championing of the underdog, cover a multitude of sins. Plus, the melodies are some of the Fall's finest, and Brix Smith gets to demonstrate that she may not be able to sing as well as she can pick a Rickenbacker, but that she is willing to try. All those one-chord/one-riff songwriters should give 'Cruisers Creek' a good hard listen, by the way...THAT's how it is done...
Lesley Gore and Dusty Springfield, A CUSTOMIZED GREATEST HITS TAPE, 2000 - So I am cheating. I could not go on without these, and it is not as though I have never made one, so, assuming I set the fire myself, I would have time to plan the dubbing of same.
(Yes, there are so many more records I could put on the list - but, again, if I were an arsonist, there are some things I would have stored already at friends' houses - Eno, Roxy Music, Residents, Guided by Voices...but I would hardly admit to this...that would prove premeditation... :) )