Perfect (Cover) Songs - Paris Summer

A lot of great songs are discovered as covers, but we usually become so accustomed to the cover that hearing the original can be jarring. In the case of this song, I had heard the cover first and instantly fell in love with the song and, yet, once I found the original, I was blown away that I hadn't already been deep into Lee Hazelwood's work with Nancy Sinatra. I knew her stuff, and had heard his name, but didn't really know anything beyond that. But I was deeply into The Last Shadow Puppets' first album, Age of the Understatement with it's dark, retro and vaguely cinematic feel. I was hunting for anything that had that sound, from them or anyone else - a sound I've since learned has been put under the genre Baroque Pop. So I dug into the b-sides of this side project from The Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner and Miles Kane, and found a live performance of a song called "Paris Summer" featuring The Kills' Allison Mosshart.

I mean, come on. That's just awesome. The mood, the narrative, the music, the twang, all of it. The back and forth vocals was something The Last Shadow Puppets were making their thing, but here, the way it supports the story of the song, painting a vivid picture of this forbidden, adulterous affair in the city of romance is just breathtaking. And who's better than Allison Mosshart? I had to find the original of this song and I was not disappointed when I did.

Lee Hazelwood's low droning voice can be a little hard to get into, I get that. But it's precisely what I think makes his work with Nancy Sinatra so great. Their voices compliment and contrast each other at the same time. While the original doesn't have the twangy guitar of the Shadow Puppets, the orchestration is deep and dynamic in a way that made me want to dig more into Hazlewood.

Best Albums of 2015: Number Five

While there is certainly a good helping of rock among my top 10, this album at number 5 is really the only one where the whole rock n roll superheroes vibe comes across. You know what I mean? That whole slimy and glamorous, gritty and grand, rebellious and authoritative, atmosphere that you get from some of the great, larger than life, classic bands. The Dead Weather's Dodge and Burn is what I imagine people that really loved Led Zeppelin or The Rolling Stones in the 70s felt that band was doing. If the music business was what it was back then, this is a band that would absolutely dominate the culture right now.

The term supergroup, when members of several big bands come together to form a supposedly bigger band, comes with a lot of baggage, hype and hubris. But while this band technically fits the definition, it also delivers on the original promise of the term. This really is the Rock n Roll Justice League of today, the gold standard. Because ultimately, even though Alison Mosshart and Jack White are the most recognizable here (the Batman and Superman, if you will) there would be no Justice League without The Flash and Green Lantern (Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence). It's the whole that is ultimately greater than the parts and here, unlike ego heavy supergroups, that comes across crystal clear. Which is a giant feat considering White's legendary (and maybe even justified) ego.

On Dodge and Burn, their third album, they are at their most comfortable but that doesn't come with any loss of tension or energy. The first album felt a little more cautious and while the second album completely let loose on the world, this time they really demonstrate that this is no mere "side project." I always get the sense that Mosshart is a hairs width away from crying and/or beating your ass with your own limbs in some orgasm of hate and lust and I don't know what. In short, her voice is the ultimate distillation of rock n roll and in the hands of mad scientist White producing, this band is like a beaker of rock n roll moonshine that will burn your fucking soul. The groove in tracks like "Let Me Through" push you to abandon all else in order to jam.

At the moment, I would say my favorite track on the album is probably "Cop and Go." This thing is pure white fire and sexy horror. Fertita's overblown guitar twang over White's bashing, a psycho piano from hell and Lawrence's funky bass is awesome here, but the bit that pushes it over the edge to me is that "will you give a little back to me" tag line from Mosshart. In any other year, this would have likely been higher on my list. But the truth is, from here on, it's really almost interchangeable. For now, just listen to this thing and if a team of black leather clad badasses burst through your walls with flaming guitars, well, you might be hallucinating from this album, so just turn it up louder and enjoy.

2015 Week 38: Don't Fucking Call Me

The other day this song came up in the car from my favorites and I guess Shayera loved it. When we were dropping Zoey off at daycare, Shayera kept singing it. Her way: "You need your medicine, don't mess with your mama. . . " Still cool.

The new Dead Weather album, Dodge and Burn showed up on Spotify today and it's amazing. Just ordered the vinyl. It's not as dark as Sea of Cowards but still has that Gothic funk badass vibe they are so good at. It's steeped in groove and swagger and pulses with implied sex. This is without a doubt my favorite of Jack White's bands, and I loved The White Stripes. But there's something kind of mythical about this band with the leather and the beats and the danger. Alison Mosshart is maybe the best rock singer around right now, not just vocally but with that certain aura she brings that comes across in her voice. It's in your face and vulnerable, seduces and frightens, intimidates and soothes all at the same time in a way that perfectly captures the angst and abandon of rock n roll. It's the only Jack White band I haven't seen live. For all that is unholy, please tour soon and come down to South Florida, damn it.

This week's Spotify playlist is framed by a phone call. Bet you didn't know that Jayne Mansfield recorded an answer song to The Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace." Well, she did, it's called "That Makes It" and it closes off the playlist. In between, it's mostly about loud and in your face because to me, that's what a phone call is. If you know me, you know my motto is "don't fucking call me." Man's greatest achievement is the text message. Use it. A ringing phone is an obnoxious interruption with you on the other end demanding my attention against my will "HEY HEY HEY!!!" Fuck that. My phone's on silent, man's other great achievement. OH BABY YOU KNOW WHAT I LIKE!!