Musicopia: The A's, Part 2

The Allman Brothers Band is one of those bands I’ve been meaning to get to know better but haven’t managed to get around to yet. Nonetheless, you can’t go wrong with "Ramblin’ Man".

The first Amy Winehouse song I ever heard was, of course, "Rehab", and I nearly fell off my seat. I’ve been saying for years that if we’re going to retread musical styles of the past, then Motown is long overdue for a revival. And here was proof that I was not mistaken. After devouring her Back To Black album, I came to two conclusions: this was an excellent album, and this chick’s got issues.
But the fact that Amy’s nuttier than squirrel poop is irrelevant. She’s got a great voice and she’s not afraid to be honest (as he first album’s title, Frank, implies). Mix in great production that borrows from some of the best eras of music (Back To Black, as I noted, has a definite Motown vibe, while Frank leans more towards jazz), and you’ve got yourself some excellent music. Here’s hoping her stint in rehab hasn’t affected her ability to flip her contemporaries the bird and do her own thing.
Finding favorites is hard, since both her albums are solid. But I can’t list everything, so I’ll do my best to be selective. "Me & Mr. Jones" is definitely in my top five, due to both the wink and nod towards Billy Paul’s “Me & Mrs. Jones,” as well as the constant use of the word “fuckery.” I just dig that word. Don’t believe me about the Motown thing? Listen to "Tears Dry On Their Own". You can’t tell me that doesn’t sound like a Marvin Gaye song! "Stronger Than Me" is a great song off the Frank album (all the others so far have been off of Back To Black). It’s a funny little song, and it seems that, despite the attitude, Amy likes to adhere pretty strictly to gender stereotypes (if her “Are you gay?” quip is any indication). And if we’re talking about her amusing knack for honesty, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention "Fuck Me Pumps", an ode to all those skanky chicks you see at the bar. I think I’ll stop there before I get carried away, but there are plenty more that I haven’t mentioned, so check out both of her albums. This is quality music, my friends.

If you’re not from the Bay Area then you’ve probably never heard of the rapper Andre Nickatina. He’s hit and miss, as far as I’m concerned, but you gotta love a guy who samples Tchaikovsky. Check out "All Star Chuck Taylors" and see what I mean.

A little research has taught me two things: "The House of the Rising Sun" was a traditional folk song before The Animals got to it, and their rendition of the tune is, arguably, the first folk rock song ever. When I think “folk rock” this song definitely does not come to mind, especially after watching the video and seeing that lead singer Eric Burdon looks like Damien from The Omen all grown up (I’d always pictured him with wild shoulder-length hair and looking a little like Jim Morrison, not standing stoically in a suit like a Beatles reject). Regardless, it’s a classic tune and worth mentioning.

Anyone who was born anywhere between the late 70s and early 90s probably knows the show Animaniacs. It was bizarre, hilarious, and, at times, educational. "Yakko’s World" (as it’s called on The Animaniacs’ Wacky Universe album), is one of those educational moments. I’m still not sure what I find more impressive: the fact that they managed to name (almost) all of the countries in the world (at the time) in the song, or that it’s a damn entertaining song. I miss that show.

People mock the hell out of disco, but I love it. It’s fun, upbeat, and makes you wanna wiggle your ass. What’s wrong with that? Nothing, as far as I’m concerned, and Anita Ward’s "Ring My Bell" is a great booty shakin’ song if ever I heard one.

Annie Lennox is another artist I need to get to know better. She was great with the Eurythmics, of course, and her voice is still exceptional. And her video for "Walking On Broken Glass" gets extra awesome points for starring John Malkovich and Hugh Laurie (looking quite a bit like the moronic prince he played in Blackadder the Third).

I first saw Anthony Hamilton performing "Comin’ From Where I’m From" on Chappelle’s Show, and I was immediately hooked. His album of the same name is solid, containing great tracks like "Charlene" and "Cornbread, Fish & Collard Greens". His next album, Soulife, didn’t live up to my expectations, but I still thoroughly enjoy the tracks “Ball & Chain” (which I couldn’t find, but these guys do a pretty good cover of), and “Ol’ Keeper,” which I couldn’t find at all. Bottom line: if you like soul then you’ll like Hamilton. He’s got a great voice and is one of the few artists these days keeping soul music alive.

When I went away to college I shared a dorm room with some dude who kept his noggin in headphones all the time, editing some self-shot movie called Sprinkle Me. Once he got done editing the flick (months later) and took his head out of the headphones we became fast friends, bonding over our music collections (ok, at that point my collection was minimal, so it was pretty much his collection we bonded over). "Tighten Up" was one of the songs he had that dropped my jaw and fueled a fire in me. This is funky stuff, boys and girls. Too bad an insurance company defiled it by using a bastardized version in their commercials. Screw you, corporate America. Screw you.

The 60s were weird, man. How else do you explain a bunch of forgettable cartoon squares like The Archies having a chart-topping hit? Regardless of the epic lameness of Archie and company, "Sugar, Sugar" is still a fun song. But if I want weird cartoons made by guys on drugs, I’ll take Scooby-Doo. Scooby dooby Doo!

No collection is complete without representation by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Everyone knows the song “Respect,” of course, but if that covers the extent of your Aretha knowledge then you, my friend, are missing out. It started for me with a mission from God. Jake and Elwood’s, to be exact.
The Blues Brothers soundtrack is exceptionally good, and Aretha’s track, "Think" is one of the best songs on the album (along with Ray Charles’ “Shake a Tail Feather” and Cab Calloway’s “Minnie the Moocher”—but I’ll get to them later). Then there’s the incomparable "Chain of Fools". If I had to pick a favorite Aretha album it would have to be I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. Containing the aforementioned “Respect,” the title track, "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", and my favorite Aretha song, "Baby, Baby, Baby",and more, this might as well be a greatest hits album.

Anyone who remembers the group Arrested Development knows they were a unique bunch. As I recall, there were about 452 people in the group, all wearing daishikis, head wraps, and other traditional African garments. I can’t say much for their sense of fashion, but the Metamorphosis Remix of "People Everyday" will always be a favorite of mine (borrowing from Sly and the Family Stone certainly didn’t hurt).

I thought Rage Against the Machine was toast when Zack de la Rocha left, but replacing him with Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell was a stroke of luck. Ditching the name Rage Against the Machine for Audioslave was also a savvy move, since Rage ain’t Rage without Zack. I haven’t paid too much attention to Audioslave, to be honest, but "Show Me How To Live" is a rockin’ song that perfectly highlights Cornell’s vocals, and any video with a Challenger in it is worth watching. That is one mean looking car!

I’ve decided that, based on the intricately layered samples comprising their music, the Avalanches must be a group of hardcore obsessive compulsives. Or they’re just very patient and detail-oriented. And, if the "Frontier Psychiatrist" video is any indication, batshit crazy. But in a good way.

And that’s the A’s, ladies and gents! Guess I could have been more selective, but what the hell. I told ya I love music. The B’s are on their way, but I can’t say when. This takes longer than I thought it would!