I love Skating on Thin Ice, though. I don't remember the rest of the album, but this one song is among my favorite tunes by the band.
Dallas Good of the Sadies, one of my favorite current bands. One of my favorite bands, period… Then Gary Brooker… and now Mark Lanegan. I'm really, really sad. Music lost three precious voices this week. I've posted this before on this thread, in honor of the song. Please allow me to post it again, in honor of the guy.
Damn no! Lanegan was my biggest musical discovery of the past twenty years. I bought everything he released and saw him whenever he came to Australia. He had the best deep voice this side of Leonard Cohen. His autobiography last year was the grittiest, seediest most desperate music bio I’ve read. All his friends died of overdoses or suicide. Damn!
Mr. Big Man is quite a one-sided account. @The late man brought up He's Evil as a comparison, and we might recall that it was the point of view of Mr. Black and his followers that was expressed in that song - political, anti-Flash rhetoric that an objective observer wouldn't take at face value. In a similar way, I tend to think the protagonist's point of view in Mr. Big Man is from a position of spite and jealousy, which blows everything out of proportion, and that Mr. Big Man probably has a quite a different perspective on their relationship. Actually Mr. Big Man probably doesn't think of the protagonist at all, which makes him even angrier as he turns the screws on himself over his perceived slight. Also, Mr. Big Man is said to be a star, so presumably an artist. A very successful artist may become powerful to some extent, but "foes stacked in rows, eliminated" sounds like quite the exaggeration, something that would apply more to a warlord or dictator, not a pop singer. I like how the introduction section helps me to imagine that our protagonist is creeping up behind Mr. Big in order to drive a knife in his back. Ultimately the song kind of runs out of steam (I'll admit to getting a bit impatient for it to end), but it's fitting for the impotence of the rage expressed within it.
I'm embarrassed to say I've never heard of this guy. But sad to hear a light has been extinguished. I must have missed this cover on the first go-round, but that's very intense and well done.
Really heartfelt Fortuleo. Screaming Trees were a great band. Sweet Oblivion should have been a monster. Great, great album. His first solo album too, and work with QOSA. I didn't know he teamed up with Greg Dulli. I need to check that out. Loved the Af Whigs too! R.I.P. Mark Lanegan
Mr. Big Man Angry Ray is not a common sight. Love it when the Kinks turn up the decibels and rock it on out. This has album oriented rock radio written all over it. I'm surprised it didn't become a rock radio staple because it has all the elements. It's a song not that far removed from the Lola album nor that song on Preservation 2 (I forget the title) that came across as generic hard rock. Mr. Big Man is a bit generic hard 70s rock but only a bit. It's a winner. Personally, I think Ray may be in self loathing mode here and singing about himself like he does later on Attitude. Or maybe he's taking a swipe at his little brother. Speaking of, Dave does it tear it up nicely here.
Actually, all three (intending to include Mr. Barnes) are on another level. ….but they are not the only ones. I’d be quick to throw Axl Rose and Robert Plant into that mix. …but then that seems like it should be a different thread.
Going to have to go for Kurt Cobain and John Lennon. For harmonies, Keith/Mick, Ray/Dave, Phil/Don, John/Paul. Mark is amazing.
RIP Dallas, Mark and Gary. Rough week. In the nineties I saw Dallas around the hood all the time. I like Mr. Big Man ok. Nice playing by Pyle and Dave. I like Ray’s vocal fine. A bit generic in chord progression and melody I guess. Not great, but not bad.
Either way they improved the lyrical theme contemporaneously with bags getting closer inspections & band members worried they will be detained by authorities!
I certainly agree with Ray/Dave as great harmony singers. I often find Dave an average lead singer, but he usually elevates the material when he's on harmony.