October 6, 2021 Playlist

"Killer" by Alice Cooper (1971)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Alice Cooper "Killer"  1971 (USA)
Here's one more classic album from 1971! To kick of the Halloweeny month of October, for the first time ever we induct the original creepy shock rocker Alice Cooper into the hall of fame. Considering all the "shock rock" that has gone down over the last few decades, from KISS to WASP to NWA, Gwar and Marilyn Manson, it's easy to overlook how original and, well, shocking Alice Cooper was when they came on the scene at the end of the sixties. (Until 1974 Alice Cooper was a five-member band; from 1975 onwards their singer Vince Furnier has performed as a solo artist under the same name.) Frank Zappa backed their first couple records - which are very weird and had "no commercial potential", probably not helped by their gimmick of dressing in women's clothes on stage (haha New York Dolls). Their third album had their breakout hit "I'm Eighteen", which is a remarkably "punk" song for it's time. Killer was the follow-up that solidified them as "the band your parents hate" for their generation, with creepy vibes and lots of songs about death (Johnny Rotten once called it his favorite album). Their legendary stage show became a macabre spectacle including such classic bits as Alice (the singer) being decapitated with a guillotine on stage. Fifty years later, and Alice (the singer) is still on tour, a remarkable feat for an artist who has never quite fit into a movement or genre: not metal, not punk, just Alice.
What's the opposite of creepy? Kawaii, of course! So here's some video stimulation to go along with this week's new music from Japan: my favorite idol group Dempagumi.inc is going through a transitional period with major line-up changes in 2021: their latest single "Impulsive S/K/S/D" is hard rock with metal guitars that projects an "edgy" image (and is the first record they've ever done without their founder Mirin Furukawa, who is out on maternity leave). Their latest 4-track single also includes new tunes by spinoff duo Nemopero (Nagi & Rin) and the debut of brand new side project Chape No Izumi (a trio of Pinky! and two of the newest members). I was excited about the new Pinky! project, though their first release is a bit disappointing (not bad, just sounds like a Dempagumi.inc song that would wind up on a B-side instead of an album). However, I was pleasantly surprised by the tune from Nemopero, a campy collaboration with a moustache man called Ryujin. I also played a third track featuring Nagi Nemoto this week: in addition to Dempagumi and Nemopero, she has also been the center and most popular member of 12-girl idol unit Niji No Conquistador since that group started - most of their songs are fluffy and forgettable, but their latest release "Delicious" is really catchy and kinda funky. Momoiro Clover Z has been the most popular idol group in Japan for the last decade, and I generally don't favor their music, but their recent single "100 Views Of Japan Smiles" is a classic example of the "oriental kitsch" style of Japanese pop. Finally, Haru Nemuri has a new single "Deconstruction" - her style seems to be moving away from punkish anti-pop to something more like "emo pop". I mentioned on the show that she was set to launch her twice-delayed debut North American tour in November, but would you believe it has now been postponed for a third time?
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
DungenÄt Det Som Växer
("Eat What Grows")
Dungen II2002Sweden
King Gizzard & The Lizard WizardCrumbling CastlePolygondwanaland2017Australia
Osees Destroyed Fortress Reappears (live)Levitation Session Vol. II (N)2021 (Reverberation Appreciation Society)USA
Poppy Lessen The DamageFlux (N)2021 (Sumerian)USA
 
 
Haru Nemuri Deconstructionsingle (N)2021 (TO3S)Japan
Nemopero from Dempagumi.inc
(Nagi Nemoto & Rin Kaname's side project)
First Kiss Wa Ryujin-kun♡ (featuring Ryuto Kiyoshi)
("First Kiss Is Ryujin")
single (N)2021 (Meme Tokyo/Toy's Factory)Japan
Niji No Conquistador
("Rainbow Conqueror" - also with Nagi Nemoto)
Delicioussingle (N)2021 (JPU)Japan
Momoiro Clover Z
("Peach-colored Clover Z")
Nippon Egao Hyakkei
("100 Views of Japan Smiles")
ZZ's II (N - compilation)2021 (King)Japan
Dempagumi.inc Shoudouteki  S/K/S/D
("Impulsive S/K/S/D")
single (N)2021 (Meme Tokyo/Toy's Factory)Japan
88Kasyo Junrei
("88-point Pilgrimage")
Do Kido Ki
(pun on "heart-pounding" and "rage" - sic?)
Genma Daisai (N)2021 (PPR)Japan
   
 
Alice CooperYeah Yeah YeahKiller
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1971USA
Alice CooperDead BabiesKiller
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1971USA
Alice CooperKillerKiller
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
1971USA
Alice CooperI Love The DeadBillion Dollar Babies1973USA
MelvinsSecond Coming / The Ballad Of Dwight Fry (Alice Cooper)Lysol (aka "Melvins")1992USA
   
 
CaravanIn The Land Of Grey And PinkIn The Land Of Grey And Pink1971UK
EggI Will Be AbsorbedEgg1970UK
CamelLunar SeaMoonmadness1976UK
King CrimsonLark's Tongues In Aspic, Part 2Lark's Tongues In Aspic1973UK
Todd RundgrenBroke Down And BustedRunt1970USA
KaleidoscopeNew Blue OozeBernice1970USA
   
 
Enoch Light & The Light BrigadeMas Que NadaPermissive Polyphonics1970USA
The Free DesignYou Could Be Born AgainYou Could Be Born Again1968USA
StonepillowTrans-Continental DepressEleazar's Circus1968 USA
Claudine LongetLet's Spend The Night Together (The Rolling Stones)Let's Spend The Night Together1972France
Herbie MannWhat'd I Say (Ray Charles)Latin Mann1965USA
James LastNight Drive (Giorgio Moroder)Seduction1980Germany
   
 
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra Movements 1 - 5Promises (N)2021 (Luaka Bop)UK/USA

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