Daily Jam - Baby's on Fire

Working through the brain fog, or trying to at least.  Here's some Brian Eno.  Listen to "Baby's on Fire" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Bitter-Sweet

Back in the '90s for the "Velvet Goldmine" soundtrack, the filmmakers put together a supergroup called The Venus in Furs consisting of Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, Suede's Bernard Butler, Grant Lee Buffalo's Paul Kimble, and Roxy Music's Andy Mackay.  Here they are covering Roxy Music's "Bitter-Sweet."  Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - Over at the Frankenstein Place

It's been a long time since i last watched "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."  Even longer since i last saw it in a theater with a bunch of likeminded freaks and weirdos.  I need to remedy both of those.  Anyhoo, here's the cast, including Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, and Richard O'Brien, with the glammy and wonderful "Over at the Frankenstein Place," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Ballrooms of Mars

Somedays it feels like this whole thing, whatever that might be or whatever you want to call it, might be winding down.  And whenever that may be, i think maybe T. Rex should play us out.  Here's "Ballrooms of Mars," our Daily Jam.

Sparks

Somehow i had no idea that we were getting a new album from Sparks this month.  I guess i really shouldn't have been surprised as the legendary Brothers Mael have been releasing albums steadily since 1972.  Over 50 years later, and they haven't lost a step.  New album "MAD!" is out now.  Listen to "A Little Bit of Light Banter" below and snag the LP here from Transgressive.

Daily Jam - The Whole Shebang

I kind of wish we'd have a good glam rock revival like was flirted with in the late '90s.  I want what "Velvet Goldmine" promised.  Anyway, here's LA alt-rock band Grant Lee Buffalo channeling that 1970s glam pop aesthetic to wondrous effect on "The Whole Shebang."  Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Goodnight Ladies

I vividly remember where i was when i found out Lou Reed had died.  I was at the annual Texas Book Festival held in downtown Austin, in front of the Capitol building at 11th and Congress where a lot of the tents are set up.  For some reason, HEB had a giant (possibly inflatable) shopping cart on site.  Everything felt surreal.  And the first song to pop into my head was the closing track from 1972's "Transformer," the jazzy and baroque "Goodnight Ladies."  It's in my head now.  Let's put it in yours.  Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Sailors of the Highway

Gloria Jones was a soul singer and and songwriter back in the '60s and '70s who was involved with T. Rex's Marc Bolan as evidenced by her 1976 album "Vixen."  Bolan co-wrote and co-produced much of the record, and that combination of soul and glam is some kind of wonderful.  Check out "Sailors of the Highway" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Diamond Meadows

T. Rex on a Sunday morning.  Here's "Diamond Meadows," our Daily Jam.

Art d'Ecco

The oft androgynous British Columbia artist Art d'Ecco just dropped a new track that's equal parts old Hollywood jazz lounge and glam rock.  It rules.  Check out "Serene Demon" below and download it here from Paper Bag Records.

Daily Jam - Absolute Beginners

It's my 16th wedding anniversary with Paige today.  We're going to celebrate by eating some sandwiches from Jersey Mike's and then going to our 8-year old's soccer game.  Such is life at 45.  In the meantime, here's David Bowie with "Absolute Beginners," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Teenage Dream

It's happened before, but i feel another one incoming...a T. Rex phase.  Honestly anytime i listen to Marc Bolan and crew, within in five minutes it's the only thing i want to listen to.  So here they are with "Teenage Dream," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - We Are the Dead

There’s this joke internet theory that we’re all currently residing in some kind of false narrative, an alternate reality of sorts created by a rip in the fabric of space and time that opened when the Hadron Collider began operating. It’s a fun theory I suppose, ripe for Sci-fi situations and metaphysical conundrums, and an amusing accounting of why everything is so fucked. But it lets us all off the hook way too easily. The truth is that everything seems so fucked because the world is full of greedy and malicious assholes, and a lot of them are in charge of things. That, combined with our booming, ever-expanding technological landscape and humanity’s penchant for rampant, untethered consumerism, we find that we were always just barreling towards this modern dystopia anyway. It was just waiting for us to get there.

“People will hold us to blame. It hit me today, it hit me today.”

I’m sure the signs were there, both literal and metaphorical. And the oracles of our art and pop culture threw up flashing warnings throughout the decades in their prose, visuals, and songs before ultimately succumbing to the whole inevitability of it all.

These days, I’m drawn to the darker moments of David Bowie’s 1974 album Diamond Dogs, the Orwellian imagery abounding as the record was assembled from the remnants of a proposed and rejected 1984 musical. The album’s glammy rock n’ roll aesthetic cushions the darker, gloomier themes it explores before coming to a head on the record’s second side with the foreboding and doom-fueled “We Are the Dead” in particular. The song slinks and oozes, a hopeless and dreadful lament for what was, what is, and what will be. There is no escape. There will be no survivors.

“Because of all we’ve seen, because of all we’ve said. We are the dead.”

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And I could end the column there, cold and devoid of all hope, our fates sealed, and the sun setting one last time. It’s where the song ends after all. But I have to believe that there is still a sliver of light to be seen, a crack to break through, a chance to right the ship. We do not live in an alternate dystopian timeline. We live now. And we make our own reality and our own narrative, and we can fight the assholes before they shit all over everything. We just have to do what’s right and never stop fighting. Don’t give up.

“Trusting on the sons of our love, that someone will care, someone will care.”

Daily Jam - See My Baby Jive

One day, I heard some random old song on satellite radio.

The next day, I went out and purchased a copy of said song.

The day after that, said song was the only thing in the world I wanted to listen to.

And the day after that, I scoured online and in record stores alike to procure every bit of music I could from the recording artist responsible for said song.

Today, I’m jamming the song and imploring any and everybody to do the same.

“See My Baby Jive” is a fun and grooving little glam rock nugget, a Phil Spector-aping sound explosion. It’s a pure and good audio elixir for the masses. The 1973 single from Roy Wood’s band Wizzard comes charging out of the gate with a drum roll and flashes of 50’s and 60’s rock n’ roll, doo-wop, and glam glitter. It’s the aural equivalent of happy pills with none of the side effects.

I never want it to end.

Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Quicksand

“I’m closer to the Golden Dawn, immersed in Crowley’s uniform, of imagery.”

Throughout his long and storied career, David Bowie’s lyrics have almost always been ripe and ready to dissect, discuss, and devour. Drawing heavily on the works of Nietzsche, Buddhism, and Occultism, “Quicksand,” one of the standout tracks on 1971’s virtually flawless Hunky Dory LP, is an absolute model of the potential that songwriting has to evoke deep, philosophical thought and debate. In so many ways, it is the poetry of the modern masses…when done correctly. The song’s lush production, acoustic guitar, and string and piano arrangements make for a beautiful listen as well, a kind of sugarcoated pill to make the philosophy study easier to swallow or comprehend.

At first glance “Quicksand” seems to be a rebuttal of religion, maybe even some kind of quasi middle finger directed at the pulpit. But it’s actually so much more. Bowie is not so much about condemning religious thought or parables, but rather opting to let go of one’s preconceived notions on life and the world, a mind opening, view altering schism to our way of thinking. The song employs principles derived from Buddhism, focusing on creating a purposed existence for oneself, seeking harmony and transcendence in our love for the earth, each other, and life in general. To do so, one needs to let go of the otherworldliness of the divine, or of the soul, or of the self.

“I’m not a prophet or a stone-age man, just a mortal with the potential of a superman.”

Bowie wrestles with the concepts of Nietzsche’s Übermensch and Aleister Crowley’s brand of Thelemic mysticism, different paths of existential thought to explore and discover, alternate routes to uncovering true purpose. He seems to weigh in on the pros and cons, practically declaring himself an “overman,” but also minding his own fear of the “total goal” that any line of thinking may ultimately land upon. He accepts a path or ism, and then just as soon questions it or rejects it, his heart, mind, and soul racing in a million directions at once.

It’s all too much.

“And I ain’t got the power anymore.”

Bowie is searching for answers…and finding plenty, but also none at all. He’s searching for reason in man-made constructs and ideas and beliefs, and feeling the weight of all of his thoughts. He feels like he’s sinking in the quicksand of it all. But most importantly, he’s thinking. He’s questioning everything. He’s exploring. And he’s open and accepting, even while investigating and critiquing any and all manner of religion, creed, or existential theory. As so should we all. It’s important to learn, and to discover, and to love. Don’t succumb to the rigidity of theocratic ideology…or even to its antithesis. Think for yourself and just live until you die. Maybe one day we’ll all see the space baby.

“Don’t believe in yourself. Don’t deceive with belief. Knowledge comes with death’s release.”

Maybe I’m over thinking all of this. It’s really just a beautiful song. Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Sweet Thing

I don't have a favorite David Bowie album.  It's just too hard to decide.  Gun to my head though, it's very possible i'd choose "Diamond Dogs."  I think.  Anyway, here's a track from the 1974 contender.  Listen to "Sweet Thing" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Somebody to Love

I went through a pretty big Queen phase when i was in college, their music soundtracking many a drive back home to Midland and then back to Austin again.  Here's a classic.  Listen to "Somebody to Love" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Personality Crisis

It's wild how one album went on to inspire the glam, punk, and metal scenes simultaneously.  God bless the New York Dolls.  Here they are with "Personality Crisis," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - 2HB

Every time i go back and listen to those first few Roxy Music albums, it's a revelation.  They're just so unbelievably good.  Anyway, here's a track from the band's debut.  Listen to "2HB" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - I've Seen That Movie Too

Here's a classic from Elton John.  Listen to "I've Seen That Movie Too" below, our Daily Jam.