Moroni's Review of Joshua James's "Willamette Mountain"

When I first listened to Joshua James's third album, "Willamette Mountain", for some reason, it brought to my mind the song from a short film I watched in Film Studies in college - "An Occurence At Owl Creek Bridge", a film that takes place in the Civil War. Many of the songs off this album have that feel of yesterday, of generations past, and music that is at once timeless and can fit in any era.

I am no stranger to folk music.  My interest in the genre developed at the age of 17 when some of my favorite rocks band - R.E.M., 10,000 Maniacs, Hugo Largo, Innocence Mission, etc. - relied heavily on folk music for their sound.  Soon, I began getting into Sixties music to expand my appreciation.  In my college days, I went to coffee shops often for live folk music - Sixth Street in Austin, Fiddler's Dream in Phoenix, and Bandaloops in Salt Lake City.

So it comes as no surprise that Joshua James comes from some of the same beautiful landscapes where I come from.  He hails from Provo, Utah - the town where I was born, set against the majestic Mount Timpanogos.

Joshua James creates some beautiful and ethereal landscapes with his music.  To tell you the truth, I didn't know very much about the guy when I downloaded the album.  But this music will grab a hold of you and haunt you.

The album starts out with a warm song called "Mystic" that reminds me of a morning sunrise, and he evokes some Utah landmarks in this song.  The next song "Queen of the City" is a gritty and raw song, yet at the same time it evokes some deep emotions - kind of in the same way that "Under the Milky Way" by the Church does for me.  James's voice sounds much older than he really is.  I was surprised to see he is a young man.  There is a weight and experience in his voice that transcends his years, sounding a little like James Taylor, also a little like Bernard Fanning.  "Surrender" is a waltz played on a bar room piano.  "Doctor, Oh Doctor" and "Wolves" are some straight up folk songs.  "Holly, Halej" and "Feel the Same" are also folk songs, but they have some other instrumentation woven  in that gives the songs a lovely billowing effect.  The title track - "Willamette Mountain" - starts out with a simple acoustic guitar, but ends with a tremendous crescendo.

My favorite songs are "So Did I", "Ghost in the Town", and "Sister".  These songs speak to me on such a personal level.  Do you ever hear a song and know that it will always remind you of a certain time in your life?  That - no matter how many years go by- you will hear these songs and be overcome with nostalgia and a wistful feeling for that time?  I know that this will be case with these songs.

This album is definitely worth a listen.

Moroni's Retro-Review of Pixies' "Doolittle"

Ever since I started this, I had it in mind that I would review older albums that are important to me.  Now that I am sitting at home, convalescing from ankle surgery, now is as good a time as any.

The first thing I should say about the Pixies' sophomore album, "Doolittle", is that, to me, it is the greatest American rock album ever made.

It came out in 1989, and it was the perfect soundtrack for what was the funnest year of my life.  I was  19, had a job, had a car, had some cash in my pocket.  I was taking college classes, but not really serious.  My nights were full of partying, nightclubs, weekend trips to places like Sedona or Yuma.  And "Doolittle" was always in my tape deck.

The first time I heard of the Pixies was in a record shop in Austin, Texas in 1987.  I picked up a copy of their EP, "Come On, Pilgrim".  It was released by prestigious record label, 4AD.  So I had high expectations.  I expected the dreamy sound of other 4AD label mates, like Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, or Clan of Xymox.  Instead, it was loud and rude, a cacophony of noise.  I was a little taken aback by it.  So much so that when their first LP, "Surfer Rosa" came out, I ignored it.  It wasn't until later that I got into it.

When "Doolittle" came out in 1989, I decided to give it a chance, because of a review that I read.  Lydia Lunch, the punk queen, said that the Pixies were the nerdiest punk music she had ever listened to.  I decided to give them another shot.  I'm glad I did.

The Pixies emerged from Boston in the mid 1980s in a small movement of alternative music that many were calling the "Boston Sound" and included Throwing Muses.  They were marked Kim Deal's strong basslines, discordant guitars by Joey Santiago (whom I seriously regard as one of Rock's best guitarists), David Lovering's infectious drumbeats, and Black Francis's screeching vocals and bizarre lyrics, with Kim Deal's soct background vocals.

The Pixies were said to have created the progressive sound of soft verses and explosive choruses that seemed to dominate much of the '90s.  Kurt Cobain once said that - when he wrote "Smells Like Teen Spirit" - that he was trying to rip off the Pixies.  In fact, their sound holds up rather well today, even 24 years later.  It is also said that not many people bought Pixies' albums, but everyone that did started a band.  They have influenced many bands - Pavement, Weezer, the Strokes, Ok Go, etc.  "Kissing Families" by Silversun Pickups sounds like it could be a Pixies' song.  Even Bono has said that the Pixies were America's best rock band.

So how does the greatest American rock album start?

With a sweet little pop jangle called "Debaser".  But as soon as the lyrics start, Black Francis is screaming about watching a surrealist film by Salvador Dali and Luis Bunel called "Un chien andalou".  Francis is screaming lyrics like, "Girl so groovy" and "Slicing up eyeballs."  By the time you hear the lyrics, you know that this isn't just some pop album.

The second song is "Tame".  It starts with a catchy beat and a heavy bass melody.  Francis starts whispering lyrics like, "Hips like Cinderella."  By the time you get the chorus, Francis is screaming, "Tame!" and the guitars explode like fireworks on the 4th of July.  The song ends with a very odd harmony of Francis and Deal gasping together.

"Wave of Mutilation" is a very catchy song, typical of the Boston Sound.  It contains a common theme of nautical terms and a concern for the environment that seems prevalent on this album.

I have tried to introduce Pixies to many people.  Sometimes I fail to get people to appreciate them like I do.  When I played "I Bleed" to my wife Martha, she could not get past the out-of-tune singing of Francis.  Never mind that it is deliberate.  Never mind that it is ironic.  Never mind that Satiago's rhythm guitar is genius in this song.  It's discordant.  Which is why I like it.

However, Martha does like the Sixties vibe of the mellow "Here Comes Your Man".  Everyone does.  I guess this is the song people think of when they think of the Pixies.  This, or the other single "Monkey Gone to Heaven".

However I think of the jazzy cabaret of "Mr. Grieves",  the bone-breaking punk of "Crackity Jones", the spaghetti Western of "Silver", the bad Spanish of "No. 13", or the wistful screaming of "Hey".  The album finishes out with the insistent jamming of "Gouge Away".

In other words, this album is perfect.  Every song is good, and, for 24 years, I have listened to this album and never got sick of it.  Not once.

In their heydey, Pixies' played in clubs.  Since they reunited, they play to sold-out stadiums, a testament to their influence.

So, if you have never heard the greatest rock album ever made, you are missing out and should check it out.