Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Colin Newman Edition

They started out with limited abilities and those limitations led them to creating a minimalist style that ranks amongst the most influential of all of the bands of the post-punk era. Wire combined clipped rhythms and basic chords with aggressive lyrics and an ever developing melodic sense to create a truly distinctive sound. Frontman Colin Newman was primarily responsible for those melodies and his voice had a tonal range — he could sneer with the best of them, but could also lay back when necessary. Newman and Wire have gone through three (and perhaps four, with the current lineup) of iterations with the band, and he’s also done interesting work on solo projects and Githead. If there were a credible Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, Wire would be in for sure. Let’s celebrate Colin’s birthday by grabbing the ol’ iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle and sharing the first ten songs that come up.

1. Bob Seger — Lonely Man (Lookin’ Back): This is one of a variety of compilations floating around featuring the earliest work of Bob Seger. He dabbled in a number of styles, but anything that got closer to blues and R & B found the young Seger hitting his sweet spot. What is most notable is that early on in his career, Seger’s gritty vocal style was well established. Thus, he sounds great on this mid-tempo R & B shouter.
2. Sparks — It Ain’t 1918 (Indiscreet): On Indiscreet, Sparks’ fifth album, they looked to expand their sound beyond the arty glam rock of their prior two albums. They enlisted producer Tony Visconti to assist them and he did a bang up job. This song features a fiddle and is the closest the Mael brothers would ever come to a hoedown. This is the tale of a couple who met during the days of World War I, and after the war was over, they chose to continue to live in that era. A typically clever Ronald Mael composition.
3. Shudder To Think — Heaven (Funeral At The Movies/Ten Spot): A somewhat early Shudder To Think song that sounds more consistent with a typical Dischord act of the day at the beginning, but then the arty melodic quirks come into play and Craig Wedren breaks out his falsetto.
4. The Coolies — Pussy Cook (Doug): The second album from this Georgia band was a terrific parody of the rock opera. The story involved Pussy Cook, a masterful transgendered chef who is murdered by Doug, who publishes a book of her recipes, taking credit for them. The band takes on a wide variety of styles. On this track, introducing the tragic victim, The Coolies throw down a little rap. It’s not really hip-hop, but it’s a fun tune from a swell album.
5. The Faces — I Feel So Good (Long Player): This Faces album is a mix of studio and live tracks, and while I wouldn’t call the album cohesive, with a great rock ‘n’ roll band at the peak of its powers, who cares where each song was recorded. This is a rollicking take on an old Big Bill Broonzy blues number. The band swings and Rod Stewart sounds fantastic.
6. The Dukes of Stratosphear — Mole From The Ministry (25 O’Clock): A brilliant track from XTC’s over the top psych-pop alter ego. The 25 O’Clock EP was released in England on April Fools Day and quickly became one of the band’s best selling records. All six songs expertly evoke classic ’60s psych-pop. This song is somewhat in the vein of “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “I Am The Walrus”, with gurgling disembodied vocals in the nursery rhyme like verses and a splendidly melodic Andy Partridge chorus.
7. The Walkmen — All My Grand Designs (Lisbon): One thing that is striking about The Walkmen is how quickly each song sets the mood, but once that occurs, there is no predictable place the song goes. This song starts of with a low key groove that sets a vaguely ominous mood, but then the vocals provide energy and a melody is layered on that completely changes the feel for the track. This is somewhat playful, but with an edge.
8. Rick Sims — Forgive Me Lord (Hillbilly Antigone): Sims, the frontman for the great punk band Didjits, began working with The Lookingglass Theatre company when he penned music for their adaptation of Joe Orton’s Up Against It, a script that was originally intended for the first Beatles movie. From there, he worked on other projects, graduating to co-writing the book and all of the music to Hillbilly Antigone. The concept was originally just a joke – when members of the company would ask Rick if he had an idea for a play, he’d say, “Hillbilly Antigone.” Eventually, he was challenged to make good on that concept, and working with his wife, Heidi Stillman, a full-fledged member of the company, they came up with a fine musical comedy. Sims and the actors learned traditional bluegrass instruments and the songs are deeply rooted in bluegrass, country and blues. It is interesting to hear, on this song, Sims adapt to this, as it’s still obviously a Rick Sims song, but it respects the genre.
9. Weird Al Yankovic — I Lost On Jeopardy (Essential Weird Al Yankovic): Weird Al is a favorite of mine (and The Onion), as he has a classic MAD Magazine mentality and a keen understanding of pop music, making him the greatest parody singer ever. Because he came of age during the early MTV era, he was able to build an audience with his hilarious videos, including this one. Not only did he snag Don Pardo to do the bridge of the song, but original Jeopardy host Art Fleming appears, as does Greg Kihn, the man who’s song is parodied here.
10. K.C. & The Sunshine Band — Get Down Tonight (The Best of K.C. & The Sunshine Band): This was the first superstar disco band, as Harry Casey and his crew came up with one smash after the other from their Florida homebase. While the songs all had the requisite dance beats, Casey really knew how to craft a great pop song, and he did so in a way that crossed over to both black and white audiences. The band’s best songs have rubbery base lines, wonderful guitar work, and fabulous horn parts. While the songs define an era, they are so well done, they are timeless and transcend their genre trappings.