LeeMail- 10-29-99

LEEMail

And I'm free - free fallin'

Garthbrooksaschrisgaines News©: Down to # 16. I guess it's time to take that GBACG flag off the top of the Capitol building. Hey, that's expensive real estate. They should think about using it to promote records that sell.

Favorite Album Of All Time This Week©: 'Ice Cream For Crow' - Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band

Happy Birthday To Thee From LEE This Week©

10/29/46 Peter Green

10/30/39 Grace Slick

11/03/48 Lulu

Hey, have you ever been around old people and noticed the curious, yet pungent mix of piss, body odor & butt? If not (or if you've got a hankerin' fer it) check out the new record from P B O & B, er - C S N & Y 'Looking Forward' [WB]. 'Looking Like Hell" might have been a better title, judging from the picture on the back cover. Jeez, what a stinker. Stephen Stills has moved up a few notches on the "Old Farts Who Suck, Are Way Past Their Prime And Should Be Eliminated" list, and though it's nice to hear Graham & David's voices - it ain't worth treading through the shit to get to them. Worst moment: Still's "Seen Enough", a track "inspired by" (read as: STOLEN FROM) Dylan's "Suberteranian Homesick Blues", which goes on for what feels like 18 minutes. Then, not to be shown up, Neil Young rips off "Heart Of Gold" on the next track. (Well, at least he wrote that one.) In fact, Neil (being the only one with a shred of validity left), seems to be dumbing his songwriting down on this record. Yeah, that's smart - let Stills & Crosby write the "rockers". And a tour? Pee yew, I can smell the patchouli & rigor mortis from here. If you thought 'American Dream' was as bad as it could get, listen to this and follow it with a screening of 'Logan's Run' - dreaming of what a better world it could be...

Also sucking this week, Matthew Sweet's 'In Reverse' [Volcano]. Unless the title refers to his songwriting ability or the direction of the enjoyment factor of his records, there's no reason to talk about this one. (Except maybe the blatant "Strange Magic" plagiarism on "Hide"...)

Here's a BIG surprise - Bryan Ferry's "As Time Goes By" [Virgin]. Forget those poorly arranged cover records from the seventies, this one's authentically torch songy, and Ferry's vibrato has never been in better wiggle. Dig "Miss Otis Regrets" or the stellar version of the overly covered "September Song", loosen that tie (or female equivalent) & have a glass of wine. Smashing.

LEEnk Of The Week©: This is one to bookmark... http://home.att.net/~d.p.lakin

'Election' [Paramount] - Funny goddamn movie. I'd forgotten how uncomfortable the humor gets in parts, but it's well worth it. Great performances from everyone, especially as the principal. Basically zero extra features (aside from a clumsy commentary from the director), but a swell transfer and great sound. Rent it this weekend, if you need a laugh - or just because I told you to.

'Stop Making Sense' [Palm Pictures / Ryko] - We all know how great this movie is, so I don't need to compliment that. The extra features are nice, and include (among lots of other stuff) a strange & hilarious 'Byrne interviews Byrne' segment. The commentary from all four band members & Demme brings nice insight into the film / music / tour AND explains why everything Jerry Harrison does now is pretentious and boring. My only complaint is that the extra songs added to the original VHS release have been edited back out of the film and placed at the end as "extra songs". And, the film is letterboxed, but the extra tracks aren't. At least they're there, right? The problem is that they fit so nicely into the running order contextually & conceptually, and no Talking Heads fan gives that much of a fuck about the integrity of the film to bitch about 3 GREAT SONGS being placed back where they belong in the documentation of one of the greatest tours in rock history. Still a must - if you're a fan of music or movies or both.

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